Seniors - Research and Data from KFF

New Alzheimer’s Drugs Spark Hope for Patients and Cost Concerns for Medicare

Jul 6, 2023

Policy Watch

The Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to Leqembi, a new Alzheimer's drug, on July 6, 2023. This updated policy watch focuses on the implications of Medicare coverage of the drug for program spending as well as equity and affordability issues for beneficiaries, and the potential for the Inflation Reduction Act to address the spending impacts. It also covers additional details from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services about patient registries.

What is the Potential Impact of New Drugs for Obesity and Alzheimer’s Disease on Medicare Costs, Coverage and Beneficiaries?

May 18, 2023

News Release

Two new KFF analyses examine the potential impact of Medicare coverage of new prescription drugs for obesity and Alzheimer’s disease on program spending and beneficiary out-of-pocket costs, as well as the role that the Inflation Reduction Act could play in mitigating these effects. Manufacturers of both types of drugs are lobbying for broad Medicare coverage of them, though they face different challenges. The availability of effective weight-loss drugs, including Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy (semaglutide)…

Changes to Medicare Part D in 2024 and 2025 Under the Inflation Reduction Act and How Enrollees Will Benefit

Apr 20, 2023

Issue Brief

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 includes several provisions to lower prescription drug costs for people with Medicare and reduce drug spending by the federal government, including a number of changes to the Medicare Part D drug benefit. This brief provides an overview of the Part D benefit design and Part D enrollee cost-sharing requirements in 2023 and changes coming in 2024 and 2025.

Ending the Public Health Emergency for Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services

Apr 19, 2023

Policy Watch

This policy watch explores the potential implications of ending the PHE for Medicaid HCBS programs.

Access Problems And Cost Concerns Of Younger Medicare Beneficiaries Exceeded Those Of Older Beneficiaries In 2019

Apr 3, 2023

Issue Brief

Published in the journal Health Affairs, this analysis compared measures of access to care, cost concerns, and satisfaction with care for beneficiaries younger than age sixty-five versus those ages sixty-five and older, using the 2019 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey.

What Are the Prescription Drug Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act?

Mar 17, 2023

Feature

This slideshow explains the prescription drug provisions proposed in the Inflation Reduction Act as passed by the Senate

The End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: Details on Health Coverage and Access

Feb 3, 2023

Policy Watch

This post provides an overview of how health care coverage and access will and won’t change when the public health emergency ends on May 11, including a discussion of COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments, and telemedicine.

How Will the Prescription Drug Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act Affect Medicare Beneficiaries?

Jan 24, 2023

Issue Brief

The brief provides a quick explainer of the prescription drug provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law on August 16, 2022 and presents new estimates on how many Medicare beneficiaries could be helped by those provisions.

Explaining the Prescription Drug Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act

Jan 24, 2023

Issue Brief

The Inflation Reduction Act includes several provisions that will lower prescription drug costs for people with Medicare and reduce drug spending by the federal government. This brief summarizes these provisions and discusses the expected effects on people, program spending, and drug prices and innovation.

What to Know about Medicare Spending and Financing

Jan 19, 2023

Issue Brief

This brief provides an overview of Medicare spending and financing, based on the most recent historical and projected data from the Medicare Trustees and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The brief highlights trends in Medicare spending and key drivers of spending growth, including higher enrollment, growth in health care costs, and increases in payments to Medicare Advantage plans.

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