Medicare

Medicare Open Enrollment

Medicare Advantage Plan Availability Varies Widely by County for 2027

Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan (MA-PD) availability varies widely by county in 2027, with a modest reduction in the share of enrollees with more than 40 plans to choose from and some major insurers exiting many more counties than they are entering. 1 in 5 Medicare beneficiaries (20%) can choose from among more than 40 MA-PDs for 2027, down from 27% in 2026. 1% of all beneficiaries will have no plan option for 2027.

Medicare Open Enrollment and Coverage Options: Key Questions and Answers

Each year, Medicare beneficiaries have an opportunity to make changes to how they receive their Medicare coverage during the nearly 8-week annual open enrollment period, which runs from October 15 through December 7. This brief answers key questions about the Medicare open enrollment period and Medicare coverage options.

Medigap

Medigap Guaranteed Issue Requirements: An Overview of Federal and State Rules

This issue brief analyzes federal and state rules related to guaranteed issue requirements for Medigap policies and how they impact beneficiaries’ access to Medigap, including the implications for Medicare beneficiaries with pre-existing medical conditions and those under age 65 with long-term disabilities.

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

Decoding Medicare Advantage Coding Intensity

Federal payments to Medicare Advantage plans, and adjustments for health status, have come under increased scrutiny. This brief answers key questions about coding intensity, recent steps taken by CMS, the effects on beneficiaries, and other proposals to improve payment accuracy.

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.

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  • To Switch or Not to Switch: Are Medicare Beneficiaries Switching Drug Plans To Save Money?

    Issue Brief

    This analysis finds that relatively few Medicare beneficiaries have switched Part D prescription drug plans voluntarily during the annual open enrollment period -- even though those who do switch often lower their out-of-pocket costs as a result of changing plans. The vast majority (87% on average between 2006 and 2010) stayed in the same Part D plan, even though the plans can change premiums, deductibles, cost-sharing amounts, and their list of covered drugs each year.…

  • Projecting Income and Assets: What Might the Future Hold for the Next Generation of Medicare Beneficiaries?

    Report

    As national attention turns to the federal deficit, some policymakers have proposed reforms to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security that could have significant implications for current and future generations of seniors and younger adults with disabilities. This data spotlight, co-authored by researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Urban Institute, describes the income and assets of current Medicare beneficiaries, considers variations by race, ethnicity and other demographic characteristics and examines the extent to which…

  • An Analysis of the Share of Medicare Beneficiaries Who Would Benefit from an Annual Out-of-Pocket Maximum under Traditional Medicare Over Multiple Years

    Issue Brief

    This analysis examines the share of Medicare beneficiaries who would be helped over time if the program were to add a limit on out-of-pocket spending to traditional Medicare. This analysis was conducted jointly with the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) in response to a request made during a Feb. 26, 2013 hearing of the House Ways and Means' Subcommittee on Health.

  • Medicare and Medicaid at 50

    Video

    With Medicare and Medicaid turning 50 this year, this updated video provides a brief history of both programs, including: an examination of the health care, social and political landscape that gave rise to them, the significant ways each program has evolved over five decades, and the important roles they play in the U.S. health care system. The video includes archival footage, as well as commentary and perspective from policymakers, government officials and experts.

  • How Much Is Enough? Out-of-Pocket Spending Among Medicare Beneficiaries: A Chartbook

    Report

    This new analysis and chartbook examines out-of-pocket spending among Medicare beneficiaries, including spending on health and long-term care services and insurance premiums, using the most current year of data available from a nationally representative survey of people on Medicare. It explores which types of services account for a relatively large share of out-of-pocket spending, which groups of beneficiaries (including by age, gender, health status, and chronic conditions) are especially hard hit by high out-of-pocket costs,…

  • New Analysis Highlights Variations and Trends in Medicare Beneficiaries’ Out-of-Pocket Spending

    News Release

    A new Kaiser Family Foundation analysis and chartbook break down what beneficiaries with traditional Medicare pay for their health care, including insurance premiums, and costs for medical and long-term care services. The analysis highlights the significant variations in what people pay based on the services they use, and their age, gender and other characteristics, and highlights trends in out-of-pocket spending. Based on the latest available data from a nationally representative survey of people on Medicare,…

  • Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan Availability in 2013

    Fact Sheet

    This fact sheet contains 2013 state-specific summary data about available Medicare drug benefit options, including premium ranges and the number of plans available at no cost to qualifying beneficiaries. Fact Sheet (.pdf)