The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
KFF’s policy research provides facts and analysis on a wide range of policy issues and public programs.
KFF designs, conducts and analyzes original public opinion and survey research on Americans’ attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with the health care system to help amplify the public’s voice in major national debates.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the organization’s core operating programs.
This Medicare Part D data spotlight examines the coverage gap, or "doughnut hole," in Medicare drug plans available in 2009. While in the gap in coverage, Part D enrollees (other than those receiving low-income subsidies) are required to pay 100 percent of total drug costs until they reach the catastrophic coverage level. In 2009, nearly all Part D plans have a coverage gap, though one in four plans offer limited coverage in the gap --…
2008 Medicare Benefits Table Summary of Traditional Medicare, 2008 PART A Financing: 1.45% for both workers and employers No premiums* Benefits: Inpatient hospital - Days 1-60 - Days 61-90 - Days 91-150 - After 150 days Deductible of $1,024 per benefit period** No coinsurance $256 a day $512 a day No benefits Skilled nursing facility - Days 1-20 - Days 21-100 - After 100 days No coinsurance $128 a day No benefits Home health No…
UPDATED: An updated version of this analysis is now available online. Recent policy debate has focused on the issue of rising health care costs and whether it might be possible to control costs by requiring consumers to pay a larger share of their health care costs out of pocket. While most of the policy discussion has focused on people of working age, rising health care costs and the burden of out-of-pocket spending also affects seniors,…
The share of seniors without drug coverage dropped significantly under Medicare’s new drug benefit, according to this August 2007 Health Affairs Web Exclusive article based on a Kaiser Family Foundation, Commonwealth Fund and Tufts-New England Medical Center survey of more than 16,000 seniors. Seniors with drug coverage from any source were less likely to face high monthly drug costs or to skip prescribed medications due to cost than seniors who remained without drug coverage. However,…
This chartpack contains key data from the Kaiser/Commonwealth/Tufts-New England Medical Center 2006 National Survey of Seniors and Prescription Drugs. Findings of the survey were published in a Health Affairs Web Exclusive on Aug. 21, 2007. Chartpack (.pdf)
This report describes the views and experiences of 35 Medicare beneficiaries under the new drug benefit in advance of the 2007 open enrollment period. The report finds that drug plan enrollees generally say that they are satisfied with their drug coverage and have not encountered major difficulties using their plan. At the same time, many of them don't fully understand how their plan works even after almost a year of experience with this new benefit.…
Health Affairs Article Examines Enrollment in Medicare Drug Plans As The Benefit Approaches Its Second Year An article by Kaiser Family Foundation researchers published as a Health Affairs Web Exclusive provides a comprehensive look at the 2006 private Medicare drug plan enrollment as the enrollment period for 2007 begins. The article examines organization- and plan-level market share, as well as enrollment by type of plan, benefit design, and gap coverage. Health Affairs Web Exclusive (free…
This study of Medicare Part D plans offered in 2006 examines formularies, drug costs and utilization management tools in drug plans offered by 14 national and near-national organizations. Collectively, these organizations account for 1,222 of the 1,429 Part D plans available to Medicare beneficiaries. The analysis finds that Medicare’s new, private, stand-alone drug plans vary significantly in terms of covered drugs, out-of-pocket costs for specific medications and restrictions placed on the use of certain drugs. The…
This comprehensive survey of seniors about the Medicare drug benefit finds that many seniors remain uncertain about how the new benefit will affect them and unsure about whether they will enroll. Seniors who say they understand the benefit well are more likely to report favorable views than those who do not. The survey examines in depth what seniors know and understand about the new benefit and what they think about its potential helpfulness. It was…
These toplines provide the complete results from a comprehensive survey of seniors on their understanding of and views toward the Medicare drug benefit. The survey of 802 seniors was conducted in late October 2005, prior to the start of the benefit's open enrollment period, which runs from Nov. 15, 2005 to May 15, 2006. The survey was conducted and analyzed by researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. It…
© 2026 KFF