Medicare - Health Policy, Public Opinion & Research

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Choosing a Medicare Part D Plan: Are Medicare Beneficiaries Choosing Low-Cost Plans?
This study finds that most Part D enrollees did not choose one of the lowest-cost drug plans offered in their area in the program's first year. The analysis models the approach seniors were advised to follow in choosing a plan based on their current medication regimen.

Resources on the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
A collection of reports, fact sheets, surveys, and other research and background material on the Medicare program's new drug benefit and other provisions of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003.

Recent Documents: (491 results)

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The Obama Administration's 2010 Call Letter for Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans: Implications for Beneficiaries -- May 2009
The policy brief examines key provisions and proposed changes in plan requirements for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans as outlined in the Obama Administration's call letter for 2010 issued this spring.

Medicare Advantage Fact Sheet -- May 2009
This updated fact sheet provides an overview of the Medicare Advantage program, describes program changes made by the new drug law in plan participation and beneficiary enrollment, presents data on benefits and premiums, and explains changes in Medicare payments to participating plans.

Pulling it Together: About Kaiser Health News -- May 2009
In his latest essay for "Pulling It Together, From Drew Altman," the Foundation's President and CEO discusses the motivation behind launching Kaiser Health News, a new nonprofit health policy news service.

Where Does the Burden Lie?: Medicaid and Medicare Spending for Dual Eligible Beneficiaries -- April 2009

This issue brief analyzes the demographic and health characteristics of people who are simultaneously eligible for Medicaid and Medicare, as well as their patterns of service utilization and spending under both programs.

Tutorial: Tax Subsidies for Health Care -- April 2009
This narrated presentation explains how tax subsidies for health insurance work and discusses the arguments for and against them.

Medicare Health and Prescription Drug Plans Monthly Tracking Report -- March 2009 -- March 2009
This brief presents current monthly data on Medicare Advantage plan participation, enrollment and penetration.

Health Care Costs: A Primer -- March 2009
This primer on health care costs examines the rapid growth in the nation’s health care costs since 1970, when the average growth in health spending exceeded the growth of the economy as a whole by an average of 2.5 percentage points. It also examines the impact of health care costs on families, with insurance premiums rising 87% between 2000 and 2006, more than four times the growth in wages.

Choosing a Medicare Part D Plan: Are Medicare Beneficiaries Choosing Low-Cost Plans? -- March 2009
This study finds that most Part D enrollees did not choose one of the lowest-cost drug plans offered in their area in 2006. The analysis models the approach seniors were advised to follow in choosing a plan based on their current medication regimen.

The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit - An Updated Fact Sheet -- March 2009
This updated fact sheet includes the latest information and data about the Medicare Drug Benefit, including a breakdown of the standard benefit, enrollment data and an update on additional low-income assistance.

Retiree Health VEBAs: A New Twist On An Old Paradigm -- March 2009
This issue brief provides an overview of stand-alone Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association trusts, through which employers have been able to rid themselves of future obligations to pay retiree health benefits in exchange for making a significant payment to designed to approximate the projected cost of these benefits. The paper include three case studies, including the VEBAs at the Big Three automakers.

The policy brief examines key provisions and proposed changes in plan requirements for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans as outlined in the Obama Administration's call letter for 2010 issued this spring.

This updated fact sheet provides an overview of the Medicare Advantage program, describes program changes made by the new drug law in plan participation and beneficiary enrollment, presents data on benefits and premiums, and explains changes in Medicare payments to participating plans.

In his latest essay for "Pulling It Together, From Drew Altman," the Foundation's President and CEO discusses the motivation behind launching Kaiser Health News, a new nonprofit health policy news service.

This narrated presentation explains how tax subsidies for health insurance work and discusses the arguments for and against them.

This brief presents current monthly data on Medicare Advantage plan participation, enrollment and penetration.

This primer on health care costs examines the rapid growth in the nation’s health care costs since 1970, when the average growth in health spending exceeded the growth of the economy as a whole by an average of 2.5 percentage points. It also examines the impact of health care costs on families, with insurance premiums rising 87% between 2000 and 2006, more than four times the growth in wages.

This study finds that most Part D enrollees did not choose one of the lowest-cost drug plans offered in their area in 2006. The analysis models the approach seniors were advised to follow in choosing a plan based on their current medication regimen.

This updated fact sheet includes the latest information and data about the Medicare Drug Benefit, including a breakdown of the standard benefit, enrollment data and an update on additional low-income assistance.

This issue brief provides an overview of stand-alone Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association trusts, through which employers have been able to rid themselves of future obligations to pay retiree health benefits in exchange for making a significant payment to designed to approximate the projected cost of these benefits. The paper include three case studies, including the VEBAs at the Big Three automakers.

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Medicare

Medicare, the federal health insurance program that covers 45 million Americans, has played a central role in the U.S. health system since it was established in 1965. Medicare serves all eligible beneficiaries without regard to income or medical history. Most individuals ages 65 and over are automatically entitled to Medicare Part A (the Hospital Insurance Program) if they or their spouse are eligible for Social Security payments. People under 65 who receive Social Security cash payments due to a disability generally become eligible for Medicare after a two-year waiting period. People with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease) are entitled to Part A regardless of their age. Part B (the Supplementary Medical Insurance Program) is voluntary, but covers 95% of all Part A beneficiaries.