View the Latest: Seniors
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The Role of SHIPs in Helping People with Medicare Navigate Their Coverage
Issue BriefThe State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free counseling to help millions of Medicare beneficiaries make decisions about coverage. However, federal funding has been modest over the last decade, and federal administration of the program appears to be in transition.
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What Could the Health-Related Provisions in the Reconciliation Law Mean for Older Adults?
Issue BriefOn July 4, President Trump signed into law the budget reconciliation bill, previously known as “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The law includes several policy changes that could have significant implications for the health and health coverage of older Americans ages 50 and older, including those who are covered by Medicare.
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Income and Assets of Medicare Beneficiaries in 2024
Issue BriefThis brief examines the income, assets, and home equity of Medicare beneficiaries, overall and by age, race and ethnicity, and gender. Most Medicare beneficiaries live on relatively low incomes and have modest financial resources to draw upon if they need costly care or long-term services and supports.
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Medicare Advantage in 2025: Premiums, Out-of-Pocket Limits, Supplemental Benefits, and Prior Authorization
Issue BriefThis brief provides information about Medicare Advantage plans in 2025, including premiums, out-of-pocket limits, supplemental benefits, and prior authorization, as well as trends over time.
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Medicare Advantage in 2025: Enrollment Update and Key Trends
Issue BriefIn 2025, more than half (54%) of eligible Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. This brief provides current information about Medicare Advantage enrollment, by plan type and firm, and shows how enrollment varies by state and county.
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Key Facts About Medicare Part D Enrollment, Premiums, and Cost Sharing in 2025
Issue BriefThe Medicare Part D program provides an outpatient prescription drug benefit to more than 50 million older adults and people with long-term disabilities in Medicare who enroll in private plans, including stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs) to supplement traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans (MA-PDs) that include drug coverage and other Medicare-covered benefits. This brief analyzes Medicare Part D enrollment and costs in 2025 and trends over time, based on data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
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The Uncertain Future of Medicare’s Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Plan Market and Why It Matters
Issue BriefThis brief focuses on the stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan marketplace and its somewhat uncertain future, in light of recent trends in plan availability and the potential for another year of premium increases in 2026, in part depending on what the Trump administration decides to do with the temporary Part D premium stabilization demonstration. The brief explains why the stability of the PDP market matters, both for people in traditional Medicare who want prescription drug coverage but also for the viability of traditional Medicare as an option vis a vis Medicare Advantage.
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The Implications of Federal SNAP Spending Cuts on Individuals with Medicaid, Medicare and Other Health Coverage
Issue BriefProposed changes in eligibility rules in both SNAP and Medicaid may jeopardize some people’s access to both adequate food and health care if various provisions of the bill take effect, in part because there is a significant overlap in eligibility requirements for Medicaid and SNAP across states. Four in 10 (40%) Medicaid enrollees receive SNAP benefits.
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Seven Million People with Medicare Spend More Than 10% of Income on Part B Premiums – The Reconciliation Bill Could Drive the Number Higher
Issue BriefPeople with low incomes and limited financial resources can qualify for the Medicare Savings Programs, through which state Medicaid programs provide financial assistance with Medicare premiums and cost sharing. However, provisions in the GOP’s budget reconciliation bill would make it harder for people to enroll in these programs. Many people with Medicare are facing a relatively high financial burden associated with paying Part B premiums, and the reconciliation bill could drive that number higher.