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KFF designs, conducts and analyzes original public opinion and survey research on Americans’ attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with the health care system to help amplify the public’s voice in major national debates.
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The September Kaiser Health Tracking Poll takes a look at the public's attitudes on several major health policy issues including prescription drugs costs and the ACA. In addition, the poll explores how important health care issues are to voters during the 2016 presidential election.
Using Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data, this brief presents the 50 most costly drugs before rebates used by the Medicaid program over the January 2014 through June 2015 period. It then examines reasons why these drugs are so costly; explores case studies on opioids, hepatitis C drugs, and the drug Abilify; and considers policy implications.
This slideshow draws on recent Kaiser Health Tracking Poll findings to provide an in-depth look at public opinion of the prescription opioid addiction epidemic. It also includes findings from The Washington Post/Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of Long-Term Prescription Painkiller Users to highlight their views and experiences with prescription painkillers.
After record increases in fiscal year 2015, growth in Medicaid enrollment and total Medicaid spending nationally slowed substantially in FY 2016 and are projected to continue to slow in FY 2017 as the initial surge of enrollment under the Affordable Care Act’s coverage expansions tapered off, according to the 16th annual 50-state Medicaid Budget Survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. Despite recent trends, Medicaid officials identified high cost and specialty drugs…
This issue brief provides an overview of the 2017 Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plan marketplace, based on analysis of data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The brief focuses on data for 2017 and changes over time in plan availability, premiums, benefit design, cost sharing, and low-income subsidy plan availability.
Current enrollees in stand-alone Medicare Part D plans are projected to face an average 9 percent increase in premiums if they remain in their current plan for 2017, according to an analysis released today by the Kaiser Family Foundation. During Medicare’s 2017 open enrollment period, which runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, Medicare beneficiaries in each state will have a choice of 22 stand-alone Part D drug plans (PDPs), on average. This is fewer…
This partnership poll from The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation examines the long-term use of prescription painkillers by exploring the views and experiences of adults 18 and over who they themselves, or a household member, have taken strong prescription painkillers for a period of two months or more at some time in the past two years, other than to treat pain from cancer or terminal illness. The survey takes a closer look at…
As the nation struggles with an ongoing epidemic of prescription painkiller abuse, misuse, and overdoses, a new Washington Post/Kaiser Family Foundation survey finds that one in three (34%) of those who recently used such drugs for at least two months report being addicted or dependent. Featured in Sunday’s The Washington Post, the new survey examines the views and experiences of long-term users of strong prescription painkillers, defined as adults who have taken the drugs for…
The New Medicare Prescription Drug Law: Issues for Enrolling Dual Eligibles into Drug Plans This report describes the characteristics of dual eligibles and then discussess four key elements of the transition of their drug coverage to Medicare. Issue Paper (.pdf)
This national survey of 17,685 seniors captures detailed information about their prescription drug use, coverage and experiences. It also includes state-specific comparative data for seniors in 12 states -- California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee and Washington. This 2003 survey was conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Commonwealth Fund and Tufts-New England Medical Center. An article presenting its findings was published by Health Affairs as a web exclusive…
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