Filter

591-600 of 801 results

  • Beneficiary Challenges in Using the Medicare Part D Appeals Process To Obtain Medically Necessary Drugs

    Issue Brief

    This paper describes the various steps of the Medicare Part D appeals process for obtaining necessary drugs not on a plan’s formulary. Using case reports collected from a network of beneficiary advocates, it illustrates the challenges and problems some beneficiaries encountered when navigating this aspect of the drug benefit. The paper concludes with a discussion of potential policy options including the implications of establishing an exceptions and appeals process that is uniform in paperwork and…

  • Pitching Private Medicare Plans: An Analysis of Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan Advertising

    Other Post

    This Kaiser Family Foundation report analyzes the content and frequency of television, print and radio advertisement for private Medicare plans that ran nationally or in one of three local media markets (Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Greensboro, N.C.) during the marketing and enrollment period for 2008 plan offerings. All ads were identified by VMS, a media monitoring service. The study finds that insurers last year placed three times more advertisements to promote Medicare Advantage…

  • March/April 2005 Kaiser Health Poll Report – Toplines

    Poll Finding

    Health News Index March/April, 2005 The March/April Kaiser Health Poll Report featured topic explores the public's views on the Medicare prescription drug benefit. This featured topic covers the historical perspective from before the law was passed as well as current views and understanding of the benefit, including how seniors are getting information about this plan, whether they think they have enough information and whether or not they plan to enroll. Additionally, the featured topic explores…

  • The Landscape of Private Firms Offering Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage in 2006

    Issue Brief

    describes key characteristics of the organizations that offer the new Medicare drug benefit and analyzes how companies are positioning themselves to attract Medicare enrollees. • Seven of the 10 organizations that sponsor stand-alone prescription drug plans nationwide are based in commercial insurance firms with substantial Medicare Advantage experience, and three of the 10 firms are in the pharmacy benefit management and service sector. • Nine of the 10 organizations that sponsor stand-alone prescription drug plans…

  • Survey of People with Disabilities

    Poll Finding

    People with disabilities are at risk in the health-care system because of their wide-ranging health-care needs, their relatively heavy use of prescription drugs, health-care and support services, and typically low incomes. A new survey of people with permanent mental and/or physical disabilities explores their health-care experiences and challenges in accessing and paying for care. This chartpack contains the briefing materials from the event held to release the survey. Chart Pack (.pdf)

  • Snapshots: How Changes in Medical Technology Affect Health Care Costs

    Issue Brief

    Health expenditures continue to grow very rapidly in the U.S.  Since 1970, health care spending has grown at an average annual rate of 9.8%, or about 2.5 percentage points faster than the economy as measured by the nominal gross domestic product (GDP).  Annual spending on health care increased from $75 billion in 1970 to $2.0 trillion in 2005, and is estimated to reach $4 trillion in 2015.  As a share of the economy, health care…

  • Implications of the New Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit for State Medicaid Budgets

    Issue Brief

    For a number of years, Governors and other state policymakers have maintained that Medicare - rather than state Medicaid programs - should play the key role in providing prescription drug coverage to Medicare beneficiaries, including those who also qualify for Medicaid because they are impoverished and/or have extensive health care needs (i.e, the "dual eligibles"). Although the new Medicare prescription drug benefit law shifts drug coverage for dual eligibles from Medicaid to Medicare, it does…