Health Costs

This analysis of 2021 claims data finds that while telehealth use remained high in the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the shift toward virtual physician and mental health care did not materially affect how much insurers paid for each patient encounter.

This brief examines how Part D enrollees’ access to and utilization of the first set of 10 selected drugs could be affected by the new Part D coverage and formulary requirements for selected drugs established by the Inflation Reduction Act and in CMS guidance, as well as the potential for lower out-of-pocket costs.

As the Biden administration begins the process of negotiation drug prices for Medicare as authorized in the Inflation Reduction Act, KFF’s Larry Levitt probes some of the arguments against it and the policy and political implications of the debate in this New York Times op-ed column.

The U.S. Midwest and South regions have higher average obesity rates among adults. What does this mean for access and coverage of prescription drugs for weight loss?

This brief explains the role and implications of cross-market mergers between hospitals and health systems that operate in different regions and describes the approaches that government antitrust agencies have taken in reviewing these types of transactions.

This chart collection draws on recent KFF poll findings to provide an in-depth look at the public’s attitudes toward prescription drugs and their prices. Results include Americans’ opinions on drug affordability, pharmaceutical companies, and various potential measures that could lower prices.

In addition to having the highest obesity rates, the U.S is currently facing significantly higher prices for several major drugs used for weight loss and other health needs, according to a new KFF analysis of the list prices for semaglutide and tirzepatide drugs. Ozempic, which has been approved in the…

A class of drugs initially approved for diabetes treatment has captured the public’s and policymakers’ attention as interest in their off-label use for weight loss rises. The weight-loss benefits of these drugs have led to their prescribed use for obesity or overweight treatment. A new analysis compares list prices for…

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued initial guidance describing CMS’s plans for implementation of the new Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, which was established by the Inflation Reduction Act. These FAQs address several questions related to Medicare’s drug price negotiation program and how CMS intends to implement the new program, with a focus on the details that apply for 2026, the first year that negotiated prices will be available under this new program.