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- Issue Paper This Issue Paper describes the discount card and low-income assistance programs and discusses their implications for low-income Medicare beneficiaries and state Medicaid programs. Issue Paper (.pdf)
This chartpack includes recent survey results on the Medicare prescription drug law and seniors' use of the Internet. Chartpack (.pdf)
Individuals with disabilities who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid must also shift to a Medicare prescription drug benefit in 2006. This report analyzes how younger dual eligibles in Kansas enrolled in work incentive programs differ than other Medicare enrollees in the types of drugs they use and how much drug spending they have to better assess the impact of the Medicare drug benefit on this population. Report (.pdf)
With the new Medicare prescription drug benefit available as of January 1, 2006, over 6 million low-income seniors and people with disabilities who are enrolled in both Medicaid and Medicare—also known as dual eligibles—have been transitioned from Medicaid drug coverage to new Medicare drug plans. While there are many policy issues related to the overall establishment of the new drug benefit, the mandatory transition of dual eligibles has created a special set of challenges for…
The National ADAP Monitoring Project Annual Report provides the latest data on state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs). ADAPs, part of the Ryan White Program, provide HIV medications to low-income people with HIV/AIDS who have limited or no prescription drug coverage. ADAPs operate in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories and associated jurisdictions. The 2009 report is the 13th in a series jointly authored by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the…
This initial analysis examines the private stand-alone Part D drug plans will be available to Medicare beneficiaries in 2011 and provides an early look at key trends in the options, premiums, and other plan characteristics. It finds that the average Medicare beneficiary will have a choice of 33 Part D stand-alone prescription drug plans in 2011, despite a 30 percent reduction in the total number of stand-alone plans available nationwide. Monthly premiums for stand-alone prescription…
The Kaiser Family Foundation has issued this collection of analyses related to the Medicare Part D stand-alone drug plan options available to seniors in 2012. These spotlights focuses on key aspects of the drug plan choices available and relevant trends since the Medicare drug benefit took effect in 2006. They were prepared by a team of researchers at Georgetown University, NORC at the University of Chicago and the Kaiser Family Foundation. Analysis Of Medicare Prescription…
This study of Medicare Part D plans offered in 2006 examines formularies, drug costs and utilization management tools in drug plans offered by 14 national and near-national organizations. Collectively, these organizations account for 1,222 of the 1,429 Part D plans available to Medicare beneficiaries. The analysis finds that Medicare’s new, private, stand-alone drug plans vary significantly in terms of covered drugs, out-of-pocket costs for specific medications and restrictions placed on the use of certain drugs. The…
This one page document summarizes the provisions in the new Medicare law that deal with providing financial subsidies to low-income beneficiaries for their drug coverage. Issue Paper (.pdf)
Health News Index March/April, 2005 The March/April Kaiser Health Poll Report featured topic explores the public's views on the Medicare prescription drug benefit. This featured topic covers the historical perspective from before the law was passed as well as current views and understanding of the benefit, including how seniors are getting information about this plan, whether they think they have enough information and whether or not they plan to enroll. Additionally, the featured topic explores…
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