Prescription Drugs - Research and Data from KFF

Visualizing Health Policy: US Statistics on Surprise Medical Billing

Feb 11, 2020

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…

What Are Recent Trends and Characteristics of Workers with High Drug Spending?

Oct 31, 2016

Feature

This slideshow explores prescription drug spending for people who are covered by large employer health plans.

Where President-elect Donald Trump Stands on Six Health Care Issues

Nov 9, 2016

Issue Brief

Where does President-elect Donald Trump stand on key health care issues? This snapshot outlines his positions and policy statements during the campaign on issues such as health insurance, the ACA, Medicaid, Medicare, the opioid epidemic, prescription drug costs, and women's reproductive health.

The Washington Post/Kaiser Survey: 1 in 3 Long-Term Prescription Painkiller Users Think They’re Addicted or Dependent

Dec 11, 2016

News Release

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…

Utilization and Spending Trends in Medicaid Outpatient Prescription Drugs, 2014-2017

Feb 15, 2019

Issue Brief

Although the outpatient drug benefit accounts for only 6% of total Medicaid spending, drug spending has increased by double digits in recent years, and is expected to grow faster than most other Medicaid services in the next 10 years. This issue brief examines drug spending and utilization from 2014 through 2017 by drug group, brand and generic status, and biologic status to understand the causes for this increase in spending.

Analysis Finds that Medications for Hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS Are the Costliest Group of Outpatient Prescription Drugs for Medicaid, While Diabetes Drugs Have Posted the Sharpest Rise in Costs

Feb 15, 2019

News Release

Antiviral medications, including those that treat hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS, cost the Medicaid program more money (before rebates) than any other group of outpatient prescription drugs for each year from 2014 to 2017, according to a new KFF analysis. The analysis of utilization and spending trends finds that antivirals accounted for more than 13 percent of the $63.6 billion in Medicaid outpatient drug spending pre-rebates in 2017 -- a level disproportionate to their utilization and…

Poll: Nearly 1 in 4 Americans Taking Prescription Drugs Say It’s Difficult to Afford Their Medicines, including Larger Shares Among Those with Health Issues, with Low Incomes and Nearing Medicare Age

Mar 1, 2019

News Release

As the Trump Administration and Congress weigh policy options to address high prescription drug prices, a fourth of people taking prescription drugs (24%) and seniors taking drugs (23%) say it is difficult for them to afford their medications, the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. The groups most likely to report difficulties affording their medications include people with monthly drug costs of $100 or more (58%), in fair or poor health (49%), with annual incomes less than $40,000 (35%),…

Bipartisan Majorities Support Trump Administration’s Push to Get Drug Prices in Advertisements, Even after Hearing Counter-Arguments

Nov 28, 2018

News Release

Only 1 in 4 Potential Marketplace Customers Know When ACA Open Enrollment Ends; 1 in 5 Say They Would Buy a Short-Term Plan A large majority of the public backs the Trump Administration’s initiative to require prescription drug advertisements to include information about prices, but fewer support other administrative actions involving pre-existing conditions and contraception coverage, the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. Requiring drugmakers to include price information in their advertisements is a widely…

As Pandemic-Era Policies End, Medicaid Programs Focus on Enrollee Access and Reducing Health Disparities Amid Future Uncertainties

Oct 23, 2024

Report

This report highlights certain policies in place in state Medicaid programs in FY 2024 and policy changes implemented or planned for FY 2025, which began on July 1, 2024 for most states.

Ozempic’s Selection for Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Could Raise the Stakes for the Negotiation Program

Jan 17, 2025

Quick Insights

Semaglutide…has been selected for the second round of Medicare drug price negotiation…Many people are familiar with Ozempic and other drugs like it, use of these drugs has expanded rapidly in recent years, and the list price is high. All of that could focus more attention on this year’s drug price negotiation process….

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