Prescription Drugs - Research and Data from KFF

Abortion Grows as a Motivator for Midterm Voters, Particularly for Democrats and in States Where It Has Become Illegal Since the Supreme Court Overturned Roe v. Wade

Oct 12, 2022

News Release

Few Voters Know About the Medicare Drug Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, Though Seniors are More Aware and Would Be Likely to Vote for Candidates Who Support Them About a month ahead of the 2022 midterm election, abortion continues to grow as a motivating issue for voters, especially among Democrats and those living in states where abortion is now illegal, the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. Half (50%) of voters now say the…

KFF Health Tracking Poll May 2023: Health Care in the 2024 Election and in the Courts

May 26, 2023

Feature

Nearly a year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, this poll examines the public's views of abortion and the Supreme Court, and knowledge about mifepristone, a medication abortion drug that is the subject of another court case, the ACA's preventive services provision and HIV in the US.

A Small Number of Drugs Account for a Large Share of Medicare Part D Spending

Jul 12, 2023

Issue Brief

The Inflation Reduction Act requires the federal government to negotiate the price of certain high-spending drugs covered by Medicare. This analysis provides context for understanding the potential impact of negotiating prices for a limited number of Medicare-covered drugs by identifying the 10 top-selling Part D drugs in 2021, measuring the share of total Part D drug spending accounted for by top-selling drugs that year, and examining changes in spending and use of these drugs since…

10 Prescription Drugs Accounted for $48 Billion in Medicare Part D Spending in 2021, or More Than One-Fifth of Part D Spending That Year

Jul 12, 2023

News Release

A new KFF analysis finds that the 10 top-selling prescription drugs under Medicare Part D comprised less than 1 percent of all covered drugs in 2021, but accounted for 22 percent, or $48 billion, of gross Medicare Part D drug spending that year. The analysis provides context for understanding the federal government’s new authority under the Inflation Reduction Act to negotiate prices for some high-spending drugs covered by Part D, Medicare’s outpatient prescription drug benefit…

KFF Examines Challenges in Navigating Coverage for Opill, the First Over-the-Counter Daily Oral Contraceptive Pill, Coming to Market Next Year

Sep 14, 2023

News Release

As Opill—the first over-the-counter daily oral contraceptive pill in the United States—is expected to be available for purchase in early 2024, new research conducted by KFF examines barriers to its accessibility for consumers and challenges in providing insurance coverage for it. Based on interviews with nearly 80 representatives from private insurance plans, state Medicaid programs, chain pharmacies, and other key groups, the report provides a deeper view into the operational challenges in expanding access to…

How Would the Prescription Drug Provisions in the Senate Reconciliation Proposal Affect Medicare Beneficiaries?

Jul 27, 2022

Issue Brief

The brief provides a quick explainer of the prescription drug provisions in legislative text released by the Senate Finance Committee to be included in a forthcoming reconciliation bill and presents new estimates on how many Medicare beneficiaries could be helped by those provisions.

Medicare Beneficiaries Rarely Change Their Coverage During Open Enrollment

Nov 1, 2022

Issue Brief

During the Medicare open enrollment period for 2020, Medicare beneficiaries had an average of 24 Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans and 28 stand-alone Part D prescription drug plans to choose from for their coverage. Despite having so many Medicare options, relatively few Medicare private plan enrollees opted to switch their coverage.

Two New KFF Analyses Show That a Relatively Small Share of Medicare Beneficiaries Compared Plan Options Or Switched Plans During a Recent Open Enrollment Period

Nov 1, 2022

News Release

As Medicare’s annual open enrollment period gets underway, two new analyses from KFF suggest that a relatively small share of the nation’s 65 million Medicare beneficiaries will shop around among the many coverage options for 2023 or switch plans. That decision could have a significant impact on enrollees’ coverage and costs. Results from one new KFF analysis show that only 3 in 10 beneficiaries (29%) compared their current plan with other Medicare plans offered during…

Changes to Medicare Part D in 2024 and 2025 Under the Inflation Reduction Act and How Enrollees Will Benefit

Apr 20, 2023

Issue Brief

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 includes several provisions to lower prescription drug costs for people with Medicare and reduce drug spending by the federal government, including a number of changes to the Medicare Part D drug benefit. This brief provides an overview of the Part D benefit design and Part D enrollee cost-sharing requirements in 2023 and changes coming in 2024 and 2025.

Timeline of End Dates for Key Health-Related Flexibilities Provided Through COVID-19 Emergency Declarations, Legislation, and Administrative Actions

Apr 28, 2023

Issue Brief

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government declared numerous types of emergencies, Congress enacted several pieces of legislation, and various executive actions were taken and waivers issued, which established time-limited flexibilities and provisions designed to protect individuals and the health system during the pandemic. This resource provides a timeline identifying key health-related flexibilities and provisions specified by these various measures, the specific measure that determines their end date, and their end date.

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