Why Drug Price Negotiation Has Staying Power
In this Axios column, Drew Altman looks beyond Medicare to what’s at stake for employers and workers in the debate about the government negotiating drug prices.
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How Might the FDA’s Approval of a New Alzheimer’s Drug Impact Medicaid?
Issue BriefThe brief examines the potential impact of Aduhelm, a newly approved drug for Alzheimer's disease, on state and federal Medicaid costs and looks at potential policy actions that could limit Medicaid’s potential costs.
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How Would Drug Price Negotiation Affect Medicare Part D Premiums?
Issue BriefProposals to allow the federal government to negotiate prescription drug prices, such as H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, aim to lower out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries and private plan enrollees and achieve savings for Medicare. This data note estimates average premium savings attributable to the negotiations provision of H.R. 3 on a per capita basis for Part D enrollees who pay premiums in dollar amounts and as a share of the base beneficiary premium, based on aggregate premium reductions and baseline premiums projected by Medicare’s actuaries through 2029.
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Snapshots: Employer Sponsored Health Insurance – A Comparison of the Availability and Cost of Coverage for Workers in Small Firms and Large Firms
Issue BriefEmployer Sponsored Health Insurance – A Comparison of the Availability and Cost of Coverage for Workers in Small Firms and Large FirmsNovember 2008 The majority of businesses in the United States are small businesses. Of the over three million firms with three or more workers, roughly 98% have between three and 199 employees.
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State Medicaid Officials Project Flat Enrollment Post Unwinding but Increased Spending and Budget Pressures, as States Prepare for Impact of Federal Medicaid Policy Changes
News ReleaseAs states completed the “unwinding” of pandemic-era continuous coverage, Medicaid enrollment fell 7.6% in FY 2025 and is expected to be largely flat in FY 2026. At the same time, total Medicaid spending grew by 8.6% in FY 2025 and is expected to grow by 7.9% in FY 2026.
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Poll: 1 in 8 Adults Say They Are Currently Taking a GLP-1 Drug for Weight Loss, Diabetes or Another Condition, Even as Half Say the Drugs Are Difficult to Afford
News ReleaseAbout one in eight adults (12%) say that they are currently taking a GLP-1 drug such as Ozempic or Wegovy either to lose weight or treat a chronic condition, an increase from 18 months ago, though the high costs of the medications remain a concern, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds.
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People with Medicare Will Face Higher Costs for Some Orphan Drugs Due to Changes in the New Tax and Budget Law
Issue BriefThis brief analyzes changes in the new tax and budget reconciliation law that modify which drugs will be selected for Medicare drug price negotiation, which will lead to higher Medicare spending and higher costs for beneficiaries who take these medications.
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How Much and Why Premiums are Going up for Small Businesses in 2026
Issue BriefThis analysis of preliminary rate filings from 318 insurers across all 50 states and DC finds that small businesses with Affordable Care Act (ACA)-compliant plans could face a median premium increase of 11% for 2026.
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Medicare Part D Premiums Are Decreasing for Many Stand-Alone Drug Plans in a Number of States in 2026
Issue BriefThis brief looks at premium changes for Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plans between 2025 and 2026. For plans that were offered nationwide in 2025 and will continue to be offered in 2026, Part D enrollees in many states will see lower monthly premiums in 2026.
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Snapshots: Trends in Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Offer Rates for Workers in Private Businesses
Issue BriefMost Americans receive their health insurance through their own job or the job of a family member; an offer of coverage at work is an important determinant of the likelihood of having private health insurance.