Prescription Drugs - Research and Data from KFF

A Small Number of Drugs Account for a Large Share of Medicare Part D Spending

Jul 12, 2023

Issue Brief

The Inflation Reduction Act requires the federal government to negotiate the price of certain high-spending drugs covered by Medicare. This analysis provides context for understanding the potential impact of negotiating prices for a limited number of Medicare-covered drugs by identifying the 10 top-selling Part D drugs in 2021, measuring the share of total Part D drug spending accounted for by top-selling drugs that year, and examining changes in spending and use of these drugs since 2018.

New Alzheimer’s Drugs Spark Hope for Patients and Cost Concerns for Medicare

Jul 6, 2023

Policy Watch

The Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to Leqembi, a new Alzheimer's drug, on July 6, 2023. This updated policy watch focuses on the implications of Medicare coverage of the drug for program spending as well as equity and affordability issues for beneficiaries, and the potential for the Inflation Reduction Act to address the spending impacts. It also covers additional details from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services about patient registries.

Probing the Power and Practices of Pharmacy Benefit Managers

Event Date: Jun 14, 2023

Event

Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are increasingly scrutinized intermediaries in the U.S. health care system, negotiating discounts on prescription medications for health insurers and employers while collecting rebates from drugmakers. On June 14, two experts joined KFF’s The Health Wonk Shop and series moderator Larry Levitt in a 45-minute discussion about the power and practices of PBMs.

KFF Health Tracking Poll May 2023: Health Care in the 2024 Election and in the Courts

May 26, 2023

Feature

Nearly a year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, this poll examines the public's views of abortion and the Supreme Court, and knowledge about mifepristone, a medication abortion drug that is the subject of another court case, the ACA's preventive services provision and HIV in the US.

About 1 in 20 People with Private Insurance Received Services that Could be Affected by a District Court Ruling Limiting the ACA’s Preventive Services Mandate

May 25, 2023

News Release

A new KFF analysis finds about 1 in 20 privately insured people (5.7%) received at least one ACA preventive service or drug that could be affected by a now-stayed U.S. District Court ruling in Braidwood Management v. Becerra, which found the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) preventive services mandate partially unconstitutional.

What is the Potential Impact of New Drugs for Obesity and Alzheimer’s Disease on Medicare Costs, Coverage and Beneficiaries?

May 18, 2023

News Release

Two new KFF analyses examine the potential impact of Medicare coverage of new prescription drugs for obesity and Alzheimer’s disease on program spending and beneficiary out-of-pocket costs, as well as the role that the Inflation Reduction Act could play in mitigating these effects.

What Could New Anti-Obesity Drugs Mean for Medicare?

May 18, 2023

Policy Watch

In this piece, we discuss Medicare coverage of obesity treatments, the potential cost implications if Medicare covers anti-obesity drugs, and how the Inflation Reduction Act could potentially address these cost concerns.

Timeline of End Dates for Key Health-Related Flexibilities Provided Through COVID-19 Emergency Declarations, Legislation, and Administrative Actions

Apr 28, 2023

Issue Brief

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government declared numerous types of emergencies, Congress enacted several pieces of legislation, and various executive actions were taken and waivers issued, which established time-limited flexibilities and provisions designed to protect individuals and the health system during the pandemic. This resource provides a timeline identifying key health-related flexibilities and provisions specified by these various measures, the specific measure that determines their end date, and their end date.

Changes to Medicare Part D in 2024 and 2025 Under the Inflation Reduction Act and How Enrollees Will Benefit

Apr 20, 2023

Issue Brief

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 includes several provisions to lower prescription drug costs for people with Medicare and reduce drug spending by the federal government, including a number of changes to the Medicare Part D drug benefit. This brief provides an overview of the Part D benefit design and Part D enrollee cost-sharing requirements in 2023 and changes coming in 2024 and 2025.