Medicare Advantage 2026 Spotlight: A First Look at Plan Premiums and Benefits
This brief provides an overview of premiums and benefits in Medicare Advantage plans that are available for 2026 and key trends over time.
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Medicare Advantage 2026 Spotlight: A First Look at Plan Offerings
Issue BriefThis brief provides an overview of the Medicare Advantage plans that are available for 2026 and key trends over time. In 2026, the average Medicare beneficiary has a choice of 32 Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MA-PD) plans, two fewer than the 34 in 2025. Virtually all Medicare Advantage plans for 2026 provide multiple extra benefits like vision, hearing, and dental benefits, similar to last year.
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The Facts About Medicare Spending
InteractiveThis interactive provides the facts on Medicare spending. Medicare, which serves 65 million people and accounts for 12 percent of the federal budget and 20 percent of national health spending, is at the heart of discussions about health expenditures and affordability. Explore data on enrollment growth, Medicare spending trends overall and per person, growth in Medicare spending relative to private insurance, spending on benefits and Medicare Advantage, Part A trust fund solvency challenges, and growth in out-of-pocket spending.
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States’ Management of Medicaid Home Care Spending Ahead of H.R. 1 Effects
Issue BriefUsing data from the 23rd KFF survey of officials administering Medicaid home care programs, this issue brief describes the mechanisms states are currently using to limit Medicaid spending on home care and their plans for adopting new mechanisms in state fiscal year (FY) 2026.
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A Look at Waiting Lists for Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services from 2016 to 2025
Issue BriefThis data note provides new information about waiting lists in Medicaid home care before many of the provisions in the 2025 reconciliation law go into effect. The data come from KFF's 23rd survey of officials administering Medicaid home care programs in all 50 states and DC.
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Medicare Beneficiaries Are Not Luddites
From Drew AltmanIn a new column, President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman discusses new KFF survey data that shows that a surprising share of older adults with Medicare are using health tech regularly, and a solid majority support many of CMS’ goals to make it more widely available. But there are also big income gaps in the use of health tech, and concerns about AI, privacy, and other barriers to rapid and more widespread adoption. “Apparently… a lot of Medicare beneficiaries—but not all beneficiaries equally—are ready for more health tech, and have become tech savvy to survive,” Altman writes.
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People with Medicare Will Face Higher Costs for Some Orphan Drugs Due to Changes in the New Tax and Budget Law
Issue BriefThis brief analyzes changes in the new tax and budget reconciliation law that modify which drugs will be selected for Medicare drug price negotiation, which will lead to higher Medicare spending and higher costs for beneficiaries who take these medications.
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What to Know About the Medicare Open Enrollment Period and Medicare Coverage Options
Issue BriefEach year, Medicare beneficiaries have an opportunity to make changes to how they receive their Medicare coverage during the nearly 8-week annual open enrollment period. This brief answers key questions about the Medicare open enrollment period and Medicare coverage options.
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A Current Snapshot of the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit
Issue BriefThis brief provides an overview of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, including current data on plan availability, enrollment, and spending and financing, and highlights changes made under the Inflation Reduction Act.
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Medicare Part D Premiums Are Decreasing for Many Stand-Alone Drug Plans in a Number of States in 2026
Issue BriefThis brief looks at premium changes for Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plans between 2025 and 2026. For plans that were offered nationwide in 2025 and will continue to be offered in 2026, Part D enrollees in many states will see lower monthly premiums in 2026.