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  • Medicare Beneficiaries Spent an Average of $5,460 Out-of-Pocket for Health Care in 2016, With Some Groups Spending Substantially More 

    News Release

    The average person with traditional Medicare coverage paid $5,460 out of their own pocket for health care in 2016, according to a new KFF analysis and interactive tool. This $5,460 includes about $1,000 in out-of-pocket spending for long-term care facility services, averaged across all traditional Medicare beneficiaries.  Such services are used by only 5 percent of beneficiaries in traditional Medicare. For the 95 percent of beneficiaries living in the community, average out-of-pocket spending on health…

  • States are Shifting How They Cover Prescription Drugs in Response to COVID-19

    Policy Watch

    Medicaid beneficiaries, particularly those with chronic conditions, will need access to medications even during social distancing and their ability to meet with providers to obtain refills may be hindered. States are updating policies to allow beneficiaries to access medications during this public health emergency.

  • Examining Medicare Part D Policies for Extended Supplies of Medication

    Issue Brief

    Medicare Part D plan sponsors, which provide drug coverage to 45 million older adults and people with disabilities, have the option to relax their ‘refill too soon’ restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of efforts to ensure adequate access to medications in disasters or emergencies. This analysis examines the share of Part D enrollees who currently have access to extended supplies of generic, brand-name, and specialty-tier drugs covered by their plan in…

  • Poll: On Health Care, Democrats and Democratic-Leaning Independents Trust Sen. Sanders the Most, but Significantly More People Support a Public Option than Medicare-for-All

    News Release

    3 in 4 Americans Do Not Expect Congress to Take Action to Lower Drug Costs Before the 2020 Election Ahead of tonight’s Democratic presidential debate, Sen. Bernie Sanders is the candidate most trusted on health care by Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, though the Medicare-for-all plan he has championed is significantly less popular than the “public option” approach put forward by some other candidates, the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. Among the overall public, a…

  • Visualizing Health Policy: US Statistics on Surprise Medical Billing

    News Release

    This Visualizing Health Policy infographic looks at the experience of unexpected or “surprise” medical bills in the United States. Out-of-network charges typically expose individuals to higher cost-sharing when they use services, and may lead to balance billing – in which providers bill patients directly, and often unexpectedly, at a higher rate. In the past two years, one in five insured adults had an unexpected medical bill from an out-of-network provider. Overall, two-thirds of adults are…

  • Questions about Prescription Drug Importation? KFF Has Answers

    News Release

    With lowering prescription drug costs a top priority for Americans, the Trump Administration, presidential candidates, members of Congress, and several states are proposing to allow the importation of drugs from abroad, chiefly Canada. The idea of allowing drugs to be imported from Canada and other countries is popular with Americans across the political spectrum, but has yet to be implemented due to concerns about safety, and strong opposition from the drug industry. A new KFF…

  • What to Know About the FDA’s Recent Decision to Allow Florida to Import Prescription Drugs from Canada

    Policy Watch

    Florida’s plan to import certain prescription drugs from Canada represents the first time the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted authority for a state to safely import prescription drugs from another country. This policy watch analysis unpacks some frequently asked questions related to state of Florida’s importation plan, including potential obstacles to implementation, who will benefit from any savings, and what types of drugs will (and will not) qualify for importation.

  • Coverage of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Medicare

    Issue Brief

    This brief describes Medicare coverage of sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception, and compares that coverage with private insurance plans and Medicaid. These benefits are particularly relevant to nearly 1 million women of reproductive age (20-49) who are eligible for Medicare due to having a long-term disability.