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.
Featured Prescription Drugs Resources
Out-of-pocket spending on insulin among people with private insurance
This analysis of insurance claims data finds that Congressional proposals to set a $35 per month cap on what people pay out of pocket for insulin would provide financial relief to at least 1 out of 5 insulin users with different types of private health insurance.
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Related Prescription Drugs Resources
- Public Opinion on Prescription Drugs and Their Prices
- Insulin Costs and Coverage in Medicare Part D
- Prices Increased Faster Than Inflation for Half of all Drugs Covered by Medicare in 2020
- 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 Do Prescription Drug Costs in the United States Compare to Other Countries?
This chart collection examines what we know about prescription drug spending and use in the U.S. and comparably large and wealthy countries, using data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
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Health Care Agenda for the New Congress
This survey captures the public’s attitudes regarding the health care agenda for Bush’s second term and the new Congress in 2005. It assesses the relative priority placed on health-care concerns by the American public and also provides insight into public opinion on key issues likely to face the new Congress,…
Poll Finding Read More Toplines: National Survey of Physicians, Findings on Medicare Part D
These toplines provide the results of a 2006 national survey of physicians on their views and experiences related to the new Medicare drug benefit. Topline (.pdf)
Poll Finding Read More Medicare Part D 2008 Data Spotlight: Ten Most Common Brand-Name Drugs
This Medicare Part D Data Spotlight examines the variation in 2008 Part D plan coverage, cost sharing and utilization management tools for the 10 prescriptions most commonly used by Medicare beneficiaries, including treatments for cholesterol, cardiovascular health, osteoporosis, dementia, gastrointestinal reflux and ulcers. It looks at data from the 47…
Issue Brief Read More Medicare Part D 2008 Data Spotlight: Low-Income Subsidy Plan Availability
This Medicare Part D Data Spotlight focuses on the availability of drug plans for beneficiaries receiving the Part D low-income subsidy in 2008 and changes since 2006. It looks at data from the 47 stand-alone prescription drug plans available nationwide in 2008. This is one in a series analyzing key…
Issue Brief Read More NPR/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard Kennedy School of Government Survey on Health Care – Chart Pack
New NPR/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard Kennedy School of Government Survey on Health Care A new survey by NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvard s Kennedy School of Government finds that many Americans have real problems when it comes to accessing and paying for health care, and even if they haven’t…
Poll Finding Read More Health News Index – July/August 2000
Health News Index July/August, 2000 The July/August 2000 edition of the Kaiser Family Foundation/HarvardSchool of Public Health, Health News Index includes questions about major health stories covered in the news, including questions about the Supreme Court’s recent decisions and House action on proposals for providing drug coverage to seniors. The…
Poll Finding Read More Seniors and Prescription Drugs: An 8-State Survey
A new study conducted by researchers at Tufts-New England Medical Center, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Commonwealth Fund, reports results from a 2001 survey of 10,927 noninstitutionalized seniors in eight geographically diverse states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. State-level data on drug…
Report Read More Case Study: Michigan’s Medicaid Prescription Drug Benefit
Case Study: Michigan's Medicaid Prescription Drug BenefitThis report describes the legislative process behind and content of Michigan's Pharmaceutical Product List (MPPL), a selection of preferred drugs available to be prescribed in the Medicaid program with little restriction. Providers would be required to obtain prior authorization from the state to prescribe…
Report Read More The Financing of Pharmacy Plus Waivers: Trade Offs Between Expanding Rx Coverage and Global Caps in Medicaid
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Report Read More How Do Patterns of Prescription Drug Coverage and Use Differ for White, African American, and Latino Medicare Beneficiaries Under 65 and 65+
This chartpack provides a snapshot of racial/ethnic differences in Medicare beneficiaries? prescription drug coverage, use, and spending. It examines patterns separately for beneficiaries under age 65 and 65+. The summary discusses the relevance of the key findings to the current policy debates about prescription drug coverage. Chartpack (.pdf)
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