Feb. 3 Web Event: Understanding and Addressing Racial Disparities in Cancer Outcomes, Care, and Treatment February 3, 2022 Event The COVID-19 pandemic has raised awareness and sharpened the discussion of systemic racial disparities in the U.S. health care system. These inequities existed long before the pandemic and have been recognized for decades, yet they continue and, in some cases, have worsened. Cancer consistently ranks as one of the leading…
State Delivery System and Payment Strategies Aimed at Improving Outcomes and Lowering Costs in Medicaid January 12, 2022 Issue Brief State Medicaid programs are using managed care and an array of other service delivery and payment system reforms, financial incentives, and managed care contracting requirements to help achieve better outcomes and lower costs. This brief examines what delivery system and payment reform initiatives are in place across states; how are states linking financial incentives and using transparency to improve quality and outcomes; and how are states leveraging managed care plan contracts to advance delivery system and payment reform initiatives.
Although Their Share of the Market Varies By State, Enrollment in Medicare Advantage Plans Has More Than Doubled Over the Past Decade, with More than 4 in 10 Medicare Beneficiaries Now Enrolled in the Private Plans June 21, 2021 News Release The private plans known as Medicare Advantage now cover more than 4 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries, reflecting a more than doubling of enrollment over the past decade even as the plans remain a far larger presence in some states than others, according to a new KFF analysis. More than 26…
Medicare Advantage in 2021: Star Ratings and Bonuses June 21, 2021 Issue Brief In 2021, 81 percent of all Medicare Advantage enrollees are in plans that receive a bonus payment from Medicare based on star quality ratings (or because they are new), substantially higher than the share in 2015 (55 percent). Annual bonus payments from the federal government to Medicare Advantage insurers have increased correspondingly, quadrupling from $3 billion in 2015 to $11.6 billion in 2021.
A Review of 62 Studies Finds Few Big Differences Between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage on a Variety of Measures September 16, 2022 News Release With the Medicare open enrollment period set to begin Oct. 15, a perennial decision faced by Medicare beneficiaries is whether to get their coverage through traditional Medicare or the private plans known as Medicare Advantage. A new KFF review of 62 studies published since 2016 that compares Medicare Advantage and…
Beneficiary Experience, Affordability, Utilization, and Quality in Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare: A Review of the Literature September 16, 2022 Report This literature review examines 62 studies published since 2016 that compare Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare based on measures of beneficiary experience, affordability, service utilization, and quality.
The Future of Medicare Advantage: Are We on the Right Path? June 10, 2013 Event This June 10 briefing looked at Medicare Advantage and changes affecting it, including revised calculations of payments from CMS, and the Affordable Care Act’s reduced payments to Medicare Advantage plans. Speakers discussed how Medicare Advantage plans are expected to respond to payment changes; if quality bonus payments created significant changes in patient care or plan choices; and what implications could these decisions have on beneficiaries with regard to premiums, benefits and more.
Managing a High Performing Medicaid Program October 7, 2013 Report This report discusses key responsibilities that the federal government and states hold for managing the Medicaid program and identifies the key issues and challenges states face as they transform the way they do business and achieve key national goals. The paper relies on an extensive review of federal and state administrative responsibilities drawn from statute, regulation, and relevant literature, coupled with discussions with six current Medicaid directors.
Performance Measurement Under Health Reform: Proposed Measures For Eligibility and Enrollment Systems and Key Issues and Trade-offs to Consider December 1, 2011 Issue Brief The adoption of new eligibility and enrollment requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides states and the federal government an important opportunity to implement a meaningful set of performance measures for eligibility and enrollment systems. Performance measures could be used at the federal level to assess state performance in…
Trends in the Use of Hospital and Provider Quality Ratings April 1, 2011 Poll Finding With a renewed emphasis on health care quality driven by the Affordable Care Act, this polling data note examines historical trends in Americans’ reliance on quality ratings and how their perceptions have changed over time. Data Note (.pdf)