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State Financing of the Medicare Drug Benefit: New Data on the "Clawback" Beginning in 2006, states will be obligated to finance part of the new Medicare prescription drug benefit via a monthly "clawback" payment to the federal government. This issue update analyzes the latest data and provides an overview of the state financing of the Medicare drug benefit. Issue Brief (.pdf)
Preparing for the Medicare Drug Discount Card Rollout A Conference Call Discussion With Medicare beneficiaries eligible to subscribe to a discount drug card as of May 3 and use them as of June 1, there is little time to clear up any confusion or answer outstanding questions about the program. Dozens of private companies are sponsoring national or regional cards, including some Medicare managed care plans. Enrollment fees could be as high as $30 per…
This policy watch discusses some of the potential implications of the new anti-obesity drugs for racial equity.
Oral contraceptives are the most commonly used method of reversible contraception in the U.S. In July 2023, the FDA approved Opill, the first daily oral contraceptive pill to become available over the counter (OTC) without a doctor’s prescription. This issue brief provides an overview of OTC oral contraceptives and laws and policies related to insurance coverage.
This slideshow explains the prescription drug provisions proposed in the Inflation Reduction Act as passed by the Senate
The brief provides a quick explainer of the prescription drug provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law on August 16, 2022 and presents new estimates on how many Medicare beneficiaries could be helped by those provisions.
This Health Policy 101 chapter explores the performance of the U.S. health system on a number of cost, outcomes, and quality measures by comparing it with those in similarly large and wealthy OECD nations. It highlights that despite significant spending, Americans have shorter life expectancies and encounter more barriers to health care, influenced by both the health system's structure and broader socioeconomic factors.
Kaiser Health News regularly reports on news and issues involving prescription drugs and their costs. This page features some of their projects on related topics. Why The U.S. Remains The World’s Most Expensive Market For ‘Biologic’ Drugs, December 20, 2018 For The Asking, A Check Is In The Mail To Help Pay For Costly Drugs, December 13, 2018 Government Investigation Finds Flaws In the FDA’s Orphan Drug Program, November 30, 2018 Democrats Winning Key Leadership…
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