KFF Health Tracking Poll September 2024: Support for Reducing Prescription Drug Prices Remains High, Even As Awareness of IRA Provisions Lags September 13, 2024 Poll Finding More than two years ago President Biden signed into law Medicare drug pricing provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. KFF’s September Health Tracking Poll examines voter’s views on these provisions and finds that large majorities of voters are unaware of the provisions despite reporting support for them.
Allowing Medicare to Negotiate Drug Prices Remains Broadly Popular Among Voters, Though Most Are Unaware of the Law and Its Projected Savings September 13, 2024 News Release Allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices on behalf of older Americans remains broadly popular across partisans, though many voters are unaware of the new law and the billions of dollars it is expected to save in 2026, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds.A large majority (85%) of voters say…
Medicare Advantage Quality Bonus Payments Will Total at Least $11.8 Billion in 2024 September 11, 2024 Issue Brief In 2024, federal spending on Medicare Advantage bonus payments will total at least $11.8 billion, as nearly three-quarters of enrollees are in a plan that received bonus payments. The average bonus payment is higher for employer plans and lowest for special needs plans, raising questions about the implication of the quality bonus program for equity.
The Connection Between Social Security Disability Benefits and Health Coverage Through Medicaid and Medicare September 10, 2024 Issue Brief This analysis examines who was eligible for Medicare and/or Medicaid between 2002 and 2022 because they received disability benefits from one of the country’s Social Security disability programs, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI.) Many who receive SSDI and SSI qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, known as dual-eligible individuals.
FAQs about the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program August 20, 2024 Issue Brief The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently concluded the first round of negotiation for 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 CMS’s implementation of 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.
The First-Ever Government Negotiation Process for Drugs Has Finished, But the Politics Are Ongoing August 19, 2024 Perspective This post for Health Affairs Forefront examines how the results of the first-ever Medicare drug price negotiations will generate savings for the government and for Medicare beneficiaries, and how candidates’ views on the issue could play a role in the upcoming elections and in the future of government negotiation.
Medicare Advantage Plans Denied a Larger Share of Prior Authorization Requests in 2022 Than in Prior Years August 8, 2024 News Release Medicare Advantage plans denied 3.4 million prior authorization requests for health care services in whole or in part in 2022, or 7.4% of the 46.2 million requests submitted on behalf of enrollees that year, according to a new KFF analysis of federal data. That was a higher share of denials…
Use of Prior Authorization in Medicare Advantage Exceeded 46 Million Requests in 2022 August 8, 2024 Issue Brief Medicare Advantage plans denied 3.4 million prior authorization requests for health care services in whole or in part in 2022, or 7.4% of the 46.2 million requests submitted on behalf of enrollees that year. The volume of prior authorization requests, the share denied, the share of denials that were appealed, and the share that were overturned upon appeal varied across Medicare Advantage insurers.
Medicare Advantage in 2024: Enrollment Update and Key Trends August 8, 2024 Issue Brief In 2024, 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.
Medicare Advantage in 2024: Premiums, Out-of-Pocket Limits, Supplemental Benefits, and Prior Authorization August 8, 2024 Issue Brief This brief provides information about Medicare Advantage plans in 2024, including premiums, out-of-pocket limits, supplemental benefits, and prior authorization, as well as trends over time.