Kaiser Family Foundation Resources on Deficit-Reduction Debate
These Foundation resources shed light on how the ongoing national debate about deficit reduction may affect Medicare, Medicaid and other health-care programs.
View the Latest: Medicare's Future
Filter
-
-
Raising Medicare Premiums for Higher-Income Beneficiaries: Assessing the Implications
Issue BriefAs policymakers consider ways to slow the growth in Medicare spending as part of broader efforts to reduce the federal debt or offset the cost of other spending priorities, some have proposed to increase beneficiary contributions through higher Medicare premiums. This issue brief explains provisions of current law that impose income-related premiums under Medicare Part B and Part D, describes recent proposals to modify these requirements, and analyzes the potential implications for the Medicare population.
-
Restructuring Medicare’s Benefit Design: Implications for Beneficiaries and Spending
ReportSeveral deficit-reduction plans have proposed combining Medicare's separate deductibles for hospital and physician services, standardizing cost sharing across types of benefits, and establishing a new limit on annual out-of-pocket costs for beneficiaries.
-
Transforming Medicare into a Premium Support System: Implications for Beneficiary Premiums
ReportThis study illustrates why geography would matter for Medicare beneficiaries under a premium support system that relies on a competitive bidding process envisioned under several key Medicare reform proposals.
-
KFF Health Tracking Poll – October 2019: Health Care In The Democratic Debates, Congress, And The Courts
FeatureThis poll examines health care issues in the Democratic presidential primary , government negotiation of prescription drug prices, party trust on health care, Medicare-for-all, and the pending Texas v. US lawsuit affecting the Affordable Care Act and pre-existing condition protections.
-
The Bigger Story, and Agenda, Behind GOP Changes to Obamacare, Medicare and Medicaid
From Drew AltmanThis column was published as a Wall Street Journal Think Tank column on November 21, 2016. Early media coverage of the Republican health-care agenda has concentrated on plans to repeal and then replace the Affordable Care Act.
-
What Are the Implications of Repealing the Affordable Care Act for Medicare Spending and Beneficiaries?
Issue BriefThe 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) included many provisions affecting the Medicare program and the 57 million seniors and people with disabilities who rely on Medicare for their health insurance coverage. This brief explains the Medicare provisions in the ACA and explores the implications for Medicare and beneficiaries of repealing these provisions.
-
Comparison of Medicare Provisions in Recent Bills and Proposals to Repeal and Replace the Affordable Care Act
Issue BriefRepealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act is a top priority of the Trump Administration and the Republican leadership, which could have implications for the Medicare program. This brief provides a side-by-side comparison of the Medicare-related provisions in six bills and proposals that would repeal the ACA, excluding proposals that would not directly affect Medicare.
-
Do You Have the Facts About Medicare’s Financial Outlook for the Future?
News ReleaseMedicare is likely to be back on the federal policy agenda this year as Congress and President Trump pursue repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, and potentially consider options to reduce federal spending.
-
New Weight Loss Drugs Raise Issues of Coverage, Cost, Access and Equity
Event Date:EventNew weight loss drugs, such as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy (semaglutide) and Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro (tirzepatide), could be transformative for people who struggle with obesity and obesity-related medical conditions, but there are major questions to consider related to insurance coverage, the cost of the drugs, and who has access. On August 4, three experts joined Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at KFF, for a 45-minute “Health Wonk Shop” discussion about the questions surrounding what a new generation of weight loss drugs means for patients and payers.