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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  • The Current Medicare Prescription Drug Debate: Briefing Charts

    Report

    These briefing charts provide background information on prescription drug use and spending among the Medicare population, recent survey data on employers' likely reaction to a Medicare drug benefit, an overview of the proposals for prescription drug coverage passed by the House and Senate at the end of June 2003, and a summary of the key issues to be resolved in the conference. Chart Pack

  • Medicare Beneficiaries: A Population At Risk – Findings from the Kaiser/Commonwealth 1997 Survey of Medicare Beneficiaries

    Other Post

    Medicare Beneficiaries: A Population at RiskFindings from the Kaiser/Commonwealth Fund 1997 Survey of Medicare Beneficiaries Tables for Medicare Beneficiaries: A Population at RiskPart 1 Cathy Schoen, Patricia Neuman, Michelle Kitchman, Karen Davis, and Diane Rowland List of Tables Table 1 Medicare Beneficiary Demographics, by Poverty Status Table 2 Medicare Beneficiary Demographics, by Age Group Table 3 Medicare Beneficiary Demographics, by Supplemental Insurance Type Table 4 Medicare Beneficiary Demographics, by Gender Table 1Medicare Beneficiary Demographics, by…

  • Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health National Survey of the Public’s Views on Medicare- Chartpack

    Report

    Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health National Survey of the Public's Views on Medicare A national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health examines the public's attitudes and opinions on issues related to the Medicare reform and prescription drug debate. The survey also takes a separate look at the differing views of younger and older Americans on this topic. Chartpack (.pdf)

  • Savings for Medicare Beneficiaries from the Use of Prescription Drug Discount Cards

    Report

    This article, published online by Health Affairs on April 14, 2004, estimates the extent to which prescription drug discount cards could affect out-of-pocket spending by Medicare beneficiaries who lack drug coverage, based on an analysis of the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. The Medicare discount card program is scheduled to go into effect in June of 2004. Health Affairs Article

  • Medicare Drug Discount Cards: A Work In Progress

    Report

    This report examines the early experience with the Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Card Program, prices offered by card sponsors, and potential savings for enrollees. The report presents information about approved discount card programs, including sponsors, enrollment fees, and drugs covered, as well as beneficiary education and outreach efforts by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The pricing analysis shows that discount cards can deliver savings off of full retail drug prices, but also that savings…

  • The State of Retiree Health Benefits: Historical Trends and Future Uncertainties

    Event

    Tricia Neuman, Vice President and Director of the Medicare Policy Project for the Kaiser Family Foundation, testified on Monday, May 17, at a U.S. Senate Committee on Aging hearing on issues relating to retiree health coverage, "Access to Adequate Health Insurance: How Does the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's Recent Rule Affect Retiree Health Benefits?" Testimony (.pdf) Webcast of Hearing

  • Views of the New Medicare Drug Law – Toplines

    Poll Finding

    This document includes the toplines from a comprehensive survey of people on Medicare and their attitudes toward the new Medicare drug law. The survey provides detailed insight in their perceptions and opinions about the law, the Medicare-approved drug-discount card program and the new Medicare drug benefit set to begin in January 2006. It also assesses views on the law’s implications for the 2004 elections. Survey Toplines (.pdf)