Medicare

New & Noteworthy
Examining the Potential Impact of Medicare’s New WISeR Model

A federal initiative to establish new prior authorization requirements in traditional Medicare, called the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) model, is likely to have only modest impact in its first year.

State Profiles for Dual-Eligible Individuals

This data collection draws on Medicare and Medicaid administrative data to present national and state-level information on people who are covered by both Medicare and Medicaid, referred to as dual-eligible individuals (also known as dually-enrolled beneficiaries).

Data Visualization

The Facts About Medicare Spending

This interactive provides the facts on Medicare spending. Medicare, which serves 67 million people and accounts for 12 percent of the federal budget and 21 percent of national health spending, is often the focus of discussions about health expenditures, health care affordability and the sustainability of federal health programs.

Explore data on enrollment growth, Medicare spending trends overall and per person, growth in Medicare spending relative to private insurance, spending on benefits and Medicare Advantage, Part A trust fund solvency challenges, and growth in out-of-pocket spending by beneficiaries.

Related: FAQs on Medicare Financing and Trust Fund Solvency

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161 - 170 of 1,590 Results

  • Misinformation About Immigrants in the 2024 Presidential Election

    Poll Finding

    With the 2024 election season underway, a large majority of the public reports hearing false claims about immigrants from candidates or elected officials, and many immigrants say Donald Trump's rhetoric in particular is negatively affecting how they are treated. This poll finding also gauges understanding about U.S. immigrants' eligibility for government benefits programs.

  • Health Insurer Financial Performance in 2023

    Issue Brief

    Using health insurer financial data for 2023, we find that in 2023, per enrollee gross margins were highest in the Medicare Advantage market, and medical loss ratios were lowest in the individual insurance market. Across most markets, gross margins have been relatively stable in recent years.

  • A Profile of Medicare-Medicaid Enrollees (Dual Eligibles)

    Issue Brief

    This brief examines the demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics of Medicare-Medicaid enrollees using the 2020 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. It highlights the diversity within the Medicare-Medicaid population and how Medicare-Medicaid enrollees differ from all other Medicare beneficiaries.

  • Enrollment and Spending Patterns Among Medicare-Medicaid Enrollees (Dual Eligibles)

    Issue Brief

    This brief examines national and state-level data on enrollment and spending for Medicare-Medicaid enrollees using the 2019 and 2020 Medicare Beneficiary Summary Files and the 2019 Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS). Spending data for Medicare includes beneficiaries in traditional Medicare only, since spending data for beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans are unavailable. State-level data on Medicare-Medicaid enrollment and spending are available through KFF’s State Health Facts.

  • What to Know about Medicare Spending and Financing

    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.

  • Prices Increased Faster Than Inflation for Half of all Drugs Covered by Medicare in 2020

    Issue Brief

    Recent legislation would require drug companies to pay rebates to the federal government when annual increases in prescription drug prices for Medicare and private insurance exceed the rate of inflation. As context for understanding the possible impact of this proposal, this analysis compares price changes for drugs covered by Medicare Part B (administered by physicians) and Part D (retail prescription drugs) between 2019 and 2020 to the inflation rate over the same period.

  • Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Medicare Spending on Skilled Nursing Facilities Increased More than 4% Despite an Overall Decline in Utilization

    Issue Brief

    Medicare spending for skilled nursing facilities increased in 2020 despite an overall decrease in the number of Medicare beneficiaries using SNF services. The higher spending is explained by longer and more expensive SNF stays in 2020 compared to 2019, both of which increased more sharply for Medicare beneficiaries under the age of 65 than for older Medicare SNF users.