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On Wednesday, September 7, from noon to 1 p.m. ET, the Kaiser Family Foundation hosted a web conversation to discuss trends in Medicare prescription drug spending, as well as proposals to reduce costs and forecasts of what beneficiaries can expect in coming years.
This brief provides an overview of key trends in Medicare spending and spending growth, as well as the impact of these trends on out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries and Medicare program solvency, as projected by the Medicare Trustees in the 2026 Trustees Report.
This annual survey of employers provides a detailed look at trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, including premiums, employee contributions, cost-sharing provisions, offer rates, wellness programs, and employer practices. Annual premiums for employer-sponsored family health coverage reached $21,342 this year, up 4% from last year, with workers on average paying $5,588 toward the cost of their coverage.
Prospects for Retiree Health Benefits as Medicare Drug Coverage Begins:Findings from the Kaiser/Hewitt 2005 Survey on Retiree Health Benefits - Report This report assesses how large businesses that provide retiree health benefits to their workers are responding to the new Medicare drug benefit in 2006, their plans for the future, and the way these responses affect retirees. It also looks at the rising costs and changing benefits of retiree health coverage overall in 2005. Full…
Observations on the Initial Implementation of the Medicare Prescription Drug Program: Perspectives of State Medicaid Directors Through a Focus Group Discussion Medicaid directors express the need to continue to focus on the interaction between Medicaid and the Medicare prescription drug benefit and to address the key system and coordination issues that remain, particularly with the potential disruptions that could occur in January 2007 when new Medicare drug plan contracts and recalculated benchmarks for the low-income…
Enacted in 2003, Medicare’s Part D prescription drug benefit reflected an unprecedented and controversial new approach for Medicare, relying exclusively on private plans to provide health coverage and including an unusual gap in coverage. This analysis by Kaiser researchers examines in detail how the new model has worked since its launch almost four years ago. Published as an article in today’s New England Journal of Medicine, the analysis by Kaiser vice president Patricia Neuman and…
An Update on the Clawback: Revised Health Spending Data ChangeState Financial Obligations for the New Medicare Drug Benefit States are 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. Revisions by the federal government due to updated data has resulted in an estimated net…
Additional Help with Prescription Drug Costs For Low-Income People on Medicare (For 2007 Benefits and Cost-Sharing) As of 2007, Medicare helps pay for outpatient prescription drugs. Medicare provides additional help with drug costs to beneficiaries who qualify based on low incomes and limited resources. The information below describes the different levels of assistance available to people who meet the eligibility requirements. People on Medicare Who Also Have Full Medicaid Benefits (Dual Eligibles) pay: No premium…
This paper, by John F. Hoadley, Ph.D., of the Health Policy Institute at Georgetown University, examines how formulary designs and other cost-management tools may affect Medicare beneficiaries’ access to medications through their Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. It is one in a series commissioned by the Kaiser Family Foundation that analyzes issues surrounding the implementation of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) and the proposed regulations. Issue Brief (.pdf)
This issue brief describes Medicare drug benefit policy issues for residents of nursing homes and other long-term care settings, such as assisted living facilities and board and care facilities. The brief addresses differing rules for nursing home and non-nursing home settings, as well as for dual eligibles residing in long-term care facilities. Issue Brief (.pdf)
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