Amid heightened public concern, the cost of prescription drugs is a focus of attention by the Biden administration and lawmakers in Congress and state capitals. Proposed actions range from allowing Medicare to negotiate the prices of certain drugs to limiting some drug price increases to inflation and capping out of pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries in Part D, among other initiatives. See KFF’s research, analysis and public opinion data, as well as Kaiser Health News’ journalism, related to prescription drugs and their costs.
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- Public Opinion on Prescription Drugs and Their Prices
- Insulin Costs and Coverage in Medicare Part D
- Dec. 8 Event: Unpacking the Prescription Drug Provisions of the Build Back Better Act
- The Public Weighs In On Medicare Drug Negotiations
- Potential Savings for Medicare Part D Enrollees Under Proposals to Add a Hard Cap on Out-of-Pocket Spending
- Medicare Part B Drugs: Cost Implications for Beneficiaries in Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage
- 10 FAQs on Prescription Drug Importation
- Medicaid Outpatient Prescription Drug Trends During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Prescription Drug Rebates, Explained
- Who is most likely to have high prescription drug costs?
- Latest News on Prescription Drugs from Kaiser Health News
How Would the Prescription Drug Provisions in the Senate Reconciliation Proposal Affect Medicare Beneficiaries?
The brief provides a quick explainer of the prescription drug provisions in legislative text released by the Senate Finance Committee to be included in a forthcoming reconciliation bill and presents new estimates on how many Medicare beneficiaries could be helped by those provisions.
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Kaiser Health Poll Report Survey – Selected Findings on Seniors’ Views of the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
Kaiser Health Poll Report Survey – Selected Findings on Seniors’ Views of the Medicare Prescription Drug BenefitThis February 2006 Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll finds that 45% of seniors say they have enrolled or plan to enroll in a drug plan, 29% say they do not intend to enroll in…
Poll Finding Read More Issue Briefs Describe Changes in Private Plan Market and Effects on Medicare Beneficiaries
These two issue briefs describe the different types of private plan options available to people on Medicare, identify key characteristics of the organizations offering the new Medicare drug benefit, and analyze how companies are positioning themselves to attract Medicare enrollees.The Growth of Private Plans in Medicare, 2006The Landscape of Private…
Issue Brief Read More Medicaid Outpatient Prescription Drug Benefits: Findings from a National Survey, 2003
This survey of state Medicaid pharmacy programs updates a survey conducted in 2000 and reports Medicaid prescription drug policies in effect in early 2003. It covers utilization management policies, payment and purchasing policies, utilization review policies, and policies for managed care enrollees and persons residing in institutions.Report (.pdf)
Report Read More Selected Findings on Knowledge and Understanding of the New Medicare Rx Drug Program — May/June 2004 Kaiser Health Poll Report Survey
Topline findings from the May/June 2004 Kaiser Health Poll Report survey, including knowledge and opinions about the new Medicare prescription drug law.Survey Toplines (.pdf)
Poll Finding Read More Marketing and Privacy Issues: An Analysis of the MMA and Proposed Regulations
This paper, by Joy Pritts of the Health Policy Institute at Georgetown University, looks at issues related to drug plan marketing activities and privacy under the MMA.Issue Brief (.pdf)
Issue Brief Read More The Growth of Private Plans in Medicare, 2006
, details the different types of private plan options available to people on Medicare. These include Medicare Advantage plans (such as Medicare HMOs, PPOs and private fee-for-service plans) and new stand-alone prescription drug plans.• In 2006, all Medicare beneficiaries have access to at least one type of private Medicare Advantage…
Issue Brief Read More Medicare Part D 2008 Data Spotlight: Specialty Tiers
This Medicare Part D data spotlight focuses on the use of specialty tiers for high-cost and injectible drugs in Medicare Prescription Drug Plans in 2008. It finds that the number of plans with specialty tiers has nearly doubled since 2006. It also looks at the drugs assigned to specialty tiers,…
Issue Brief Read More Toplines: Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: Election 2008 – April 2008
This document contains the detailed toplines from the Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: Election 2008 – April 2008. Toplines (.pdf)
Poll Finding Read More Examining Sources of Supplemental Insurance and Prescription Drug Coverage Among Medicare Beneficiaries: Findings from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, 2007
This updated chartpack presents sources of supplemental and prescription drug coverage among Medicare beneficiaries in 2007, the most recent year for which national data are available. The chartpack looks at variations in supplemental and prescription drug coverage by income, race/ethnicity, age, urban/rural location, and health status. It also examines characteristics…
Report Read More The Public’s Health Care Agenda for the New President and Congress
The Public’s Health Care Agenda for the New President and Congress This survey captures the public’s attitudes regarding the health care agenda for President Obama and the new Congress in 2009. It assesses the relative priority placed on health care by the American public as part of addressing the…
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