Search Results: "Medicare Drug Benefit"

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Medicare - Study Examines How Medicare Prescription Drug 'Doughnut Hole' Affected Beneficiaries in 2007
In 2007, about 3.4 million Medicare beneficiaries reached the so-called 'doughnut hole,' or gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage, during which time they were responsible for their medication costs, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study released on Thursday, the AP/San Francisco Chronicle report
www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=54104

2008-08-22

Medicare - New Law That Delays Medicare Physician Payment Cut Also Affects Beneficiaries
The new Medicare law that passed on Tuesday not only delays for 18 months a 10.6% reduction to physician fees, it also contains provisions that directly affect beneficiaries, the Wall Street Journal reports. The law reduces the copayment for mental health services from 50% to 20%, which is consistent with co
www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=53349

2008-07-17

Capitol Hill Watch - Congress Overrides Veto of Medicare Bill To Delay Physician Payment Cut
A 10.6% reduction to Medicare physician fees will be delayed for 18 months because legislation (HR 6331) became law on Tuesday after both chambers of Congress voted to override President Bush's veto of the bill earlier in the day, the Wall Street Journal reports (Wilde Mathews, Wall Street Journal, 7/16). Th
www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=53325

2008-07-16

Capitol Hill Watch - Sen. Baucus Outlines Medicare Bill; Plan Includes Reductions to MA Plans, Physician Fee Increases
Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) laid out the 'final, contentious details' of legislation that would halt a 10.6% cut to Medicare physician fees, among other provisions, CQ Today reports. Baucus plans to introduce the legislation on Friday. Earlier this week, Baucus outlined some provision
www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=52586

2008-06-06

Capitol Hill Watch - Senate Finance Committee Republicans Outline Plans To Delay Medicare Physician Payment Cut
Senate Finance Committee Republicans, led by ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), on Wednesday released an outline of legislation that would halt a 10.6% reduction in Medicare physician fees scheduled to go into effect July 1, among other provisions, CQ Today reports. The bill will compete with legislatio
www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=52555

2008-06-05

Medicare - Proposed Federal Rule Would Ban Certain Marketing Techniques for Private Medicare Plans
The Bush administration on Thursday proposed new marketing rules for Medicare Advantage comprehensive coverage and drug plans that aim to curb aggressive sales tactics, the Wall Street Journal reports. According to the Journal, health insurers have been criticized for their 'overly aggressive marketing tacti
www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=52048

2008-05-09

Opinion - Editorials Address Increased Number of Health Insurers Requiring Members To Pay Percentage of Cost of Some High-Priced Medications
Two newspapers on Tuesday published editorials that address a recent New York Times article about the increased number of health insurers that have begun to charge members a percentage of the price of certain expensive medications, rather than set copayments, to help reduce costs. Under such 'Tier 4' systems
www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=51551

2008-04-15

Prescription Drugs - Insurers Increasingly Requiring People To Pay Percentage of Cost of Some High-Priced Prescription Drugs
The New York Times on Monday examined how a number of health insurers have begun to charge members a percentage of the price of certain expensive medications, rather than set copayments, to help reduce costs. According to the Times, the implementation of such 'Tier 4' systems 'means that the burden of expens
www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=51515

2008-04-14

State Watch - Maryland Governor Announces Partnership With CareFirst for 'Doughnut Hole' Subsidy
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) on Friday announced a partnership with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield to subsidize prescription drug costs for lower-income beneficiaries who fall into the so-called 'doughnut hole' coverage gap of the Medicare drug benefit, the Baltimore Sun reports. The gap begins when dru
www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=50481

2008-02-19

Health Care Marketplace - U.S. Health Care Spending Reaches $2.1T in 2006, Increasing 6.7%
U.S. health care spending in 2006 increased by 6.7% to $2.1 trillion, or $7,026 per capita, according to a CMS report published on Tuesday in the journal Health Affairs, the Washington Post reports (Lee, Washington Post, 1/8). According to the report, health care spending in 2006 accounted for 16% of gross d
www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=49709

2008-01-08