Amid heightened public concern, the cost of prescription drugs is the focus of renewed attention by the Trump administration, the Biden campaign and lawmakers in Congress and state capitals. Proposed actions range from sweeping health care system changes to targeted initiatives that could affect Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance. 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
KFF Health Tracking Poll – October 2019: Health Care In The Democratic Debates, Congress, And The Courts
This 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.
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Related Prescription Drugs Resources
- Assessing Drug Price Increases in Medicare Part D and the Implications of Inflation Limits
- 10 FAQs on Prescription Drug Importation
- Pricing and Payment for Medicaid Prescription Drugs
- Management and Delivery of the Medicaid Pharmacy Benefit
- Understanding the Medicaid Prescription Drug Rebate Program
- A Look at Recent Proposals to Control Drug Spending by Medicare and its Beneficiaries
- Kaiser Health News Coverage of Prescription Drug Issues
- What are the recent and forecasted trends in prescription drug spending?
- What’s the Latest on Medicare Drug Price Negotiations?
- How Will The Medicare Part D Benefit Change Under Current Law and Leading Proposals?
- Medicaid’s Prescription Drug Benefit: Key Facts
- Public Opinion on Prescription Drugs and Their Prices
- Prescription Drug Rebates, Explained
- Who is Most Likely to Have High Prescription Drug Costs?
- Snapshots of Recent State Initiatives in Medicaid Prescription Drug Cost Control
- 10 Essential Facts About Medicare and Prescription Drug Spending
- Utilization and Spending Trends in Medicaid Outpatient Prescription Drugs
- How Does Prescription Drug Spending and Use Compare Across Large Employer Plans, Medicare Part D, and Medicaid?
What’s the Latest on Prescription Drug Proposals from the Trump Administration, Congress, and the Biden Campaign?
This slideshow explains the similarities and differences among major proposals to lower prescription drug costs introduced by the Trump Administration, members of Congress, and the Biden campaign.
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Demand Effects of Recent Changes in Prescription Drug Promotion
The rapid increase in DTC advertising for prescription drugs has focused attention on its role in drug spending and prescribing. A new study by researchers at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology looks at the effect of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising on spending for prescription drugs. The study found…
Report Read MoreKaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health National Survey of the Public’s Views on Medicare- Chartpack
Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health National Survey of the Public's Views on MedicareA national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health examines the public's attitudes and opinions on issues related to the Medicare reform and prescription drug debate. The survey also takes…
Report Read MoreMedicare Prescription Drugs Through Private Drug-Only Plans: A Discussion with Actuaries
Central to the current debate over Medicare prescription drug coverage is the role of private insurance plans in providing drug benefits to Medicare beneficiaries. This report offers views from health actuaries knowledgeable about the Medicare program and the prescription drug debate on key issues that emerge for potential plan sponsors,…
Report Read MoreKaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health National Survey of the Public’s Views on Medicare
Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health National Survey of the Public’s Views on MedicareA new national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health examines the public’s attitudes and opinions on issues related to the Medicare reform and prescription drug debate. The survey also…
Poll Finding Read MoreMedicare and Prescription Drug Spending Chartpack
This chartpack provides 2003 and 2006 estimates of total and out-of-pocket prescription drug spending by Medicare beneficiaries. The data and analysis for this chartpack, prepared by Actuarial Research Corporation, assume no change in current law.Chart Pack
Report Read MoreThe Financing of Pharmacy Plus Waivers: Trade Offs Between Expanding Rx Coverage and Global Caps in Medicaid
Background Paper
Report Read MorePharmacy Plus Waivers: Trade Offs Between Expanding Rx Coverage and Global Caps in Medicaid
The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured has been monitoring the development of the Pharmacy Plus waiver initiated by the Bush Administration in 2002 and tracking the states that have pending or approved plans. The Commission has developed some materials describing the initiative, examining the financing mechanism, and discussing…
Issue Brief Read MoreThe Financing of Pharmacy Plus Waivers: Implications for Seniors on Medicaid of Global Funding Caps
This policy brief describes Pharmacy Plus waivers being considered by some states for their Medicaid program and their implications for Medicaid financing. These waivers offer an opportunity for prescription drug coverage for low-income seniors, but they also include a major change in the financing of care for all seniors on…
Issue Brief Read MoreNational ADAP Monitoring Project, Annual Report, April 2003
This report, the seventh in an annual series, provides an overview of the status of state-administered AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) and documents how these programs are responding to the changing fiscal, clinical and epidemiological dynamics of HIV/AIDS.ADAPs, authorized under Title II of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency…
Report Read MoreMedicare and Prescription Drugs, Fact Sheet
This fact sheet, updated in April 2003, profiles current sources of prescription drug coverage among the Medicare population, describes the characteristics of beneficiaries who lack drug coverage and the implications of being without such coverage, and provides current data on prescription drug use and spending. Fact Sheet (.pdf)
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