Trends in Medicare Supplemental Insurance and Prescription Drug Benefits, 1996-2001 Data UpdateThis data update provides estimates of supplemental insurance and prescription drug coverage rates and trends between 1996 and 2001, which will help to provide important context for assessing future changes in supplemental insurance and drug coverage rates after provisions…

This paper, by Vicki Gottlich, J.D., of the Center for Medicare Advocacy, looks at issues related to the new Medicare prescription drug benefit for people with Medicare who live in nursing homes or other long-term-care settings. It is one in a series commissioned by the Kaiser Family Foundation that analyzes…

This survey documents the increasing costs of retiree benefits for both large private-sector employers and their retirees. It also provides an early look at the response of large employers to the Medicare prescription drug law and the subsidies it provides for maintaining retiree drug coverage. Download Full Report (.pdf) Chartpack (.pdf)

This report examines the potential savings for employers who currently represent the largest source of drug coverage for seniors. The study finds substantial savings for large employers under comprehensive Medicare prescription drug proposals ranging from $5-8.5 billion in 2003 to $10-$15 billion in 2009. It also finds that the majority…

This report presents findings from a study of large private-sector employers conducted by researchers at Hewitt Associates and the Kaiser Family Foundation between July and September of 2002. The study is based on survey responses of 435 large private-sector firms (1,000+ employees) that currently offer retiree health benefits, and includes…

This paper, by Joy Pritts of the Health Policy Institute at Georgetown University, looks at issues related to drug plan marketing activities and privacy under the MMA.Issue Brief (.pdf)

This updated chartpack presents sources of supplemental and prescription drug coverage among Medicare beneficiaries in 2007, the most recent year for which national data are available. The chartpack looks at variations in supplemental and prescription drug coverage by income, race/ethnicity, age, urban/rural location, and health status. It also examines characteristics…

This Kaiser Family Foundation briefing examined how Medicare reform options now under consideration might work and their implications for beneficiaries and taxpayers. As context for understanding the potential effects of reforms, the briefing looked at the current and projected income and assets of people on Medicare, out-of pocket health care…

This document, prepared by Health Policy Alternatives, Inc., provides a detailed side-by-side comparison of the prescription drug provisions of the Conference Agreement (H.R. 1) passed by the House and Senate in November 2003 and the House (H.R. 1) and Senate (S. 1) Medicare proposals passed in June 2003.Report (.pdf)

Papers on Issues For People With Medicare Raised By Proposed Drug Benefit RegulationsThe Kaiser Family Foundation has commissioned a series of papers to explore key issues that may be of concern for Medicare beneficiaries as the new Medicare drug benefit is implemented. These papers focus on specific areas of potential…