Publications and Reports
"Comparing Medicare and Private Health Insurance Spending"
This web memo by Joseph R. Antos and Alfredo Goyburu provides data that suggests that Medicare does not have an advantage over the private sector in limiting the growth of health care spending.
Heritage Foundation, April 2003
"Medicare At A Glance"
This updated fact sheet provides a basic overview of the Medicare program, including how it is financed, who is eligible, and what benefits are covered under the program. In addition, it describes supplemental health insurance, benefits provided by the new drug law, and data on Medicare expenditures and financing.
Kaiser Family Foundation, April 29, 2005
"Restructuring Medicare: A Synthesis of the NASI Medicare Projects"
This Medicare brief highlights the findings and recommendations of the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) Medicare study panels.
National Academy of Social Insurance, April 2003
"A Primer for Journalists on Medicare Reform Proposals"
This paper from Princeton Unversity of economics and public affairs Uwe Reinhardt discusses the key elements of Medicare reform, options for for future proposals, and details from past plans.
Dr. Uwe Reinhardt, March 2003
"Prescription Drug Coverage for Medicare Beneficiaries: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Selected Proposals"
This document, prepared by Health Policy Alternatives, Inc., provides a detailed side-by-side comparison of the prescription drug provisions of the House and Senate Medicare proposals, as passed on June 27, 2003. Along with these provisions, the side-by-side compares the major provisions relating to the role of private health plans in Medicare. This document includes a more in-depth description of the bills, which were previously summarized in publication
(released in June, 2003), which is also available on the Foundation’s website. This side-by-side will continue to be updated to reflect the Conference Agreement.
Kaiser Family Foundation, August 2003
"Cost Estimate for H.R. 1 and S.1 Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003"
This revised cost estimate examines the Medicare prescription drug legislation passed by the House and Senate, finding that both provisions will exceed the $400 billion spending cap set by lawmakers and the White House.
Congressional Budget Office (CBO), July 2003
"Medicare's Future: Current Picture, Trends, and Prescription Drug Policy Debate"
This PowerPoint slide collection highlights recent research and analytical findings on Medicare, including an overview of prescription drug benefit designs currently under consideration by Congress.
Commonwealth Fund, June 2003
"A Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit: Implications for Medicaid and Low-Income People"
The recently signed Medicare prescription drug bill transfers responsibility for providing prescription drug coverage to dual-eligible beneficiaries from Medicaid to Medicare and creates a new subsidy program for low-income Medicare beneficiaries. These changes will have a major impact on state Medicaid programs both fiscally and administratively and it will also mean major changes for low-income beneficiaries' drug coverage. Kaiser Family Foundation, September 2003
Kaiser Family Foundation: Medicare and Prescription Drug Spending Chartpack
This chartpack provides 2003 and 2006 estimates of total and out-of-pocket prescription drug spending by Medicare beneficiaries. The data and analysis for this chartpack, prepared by Actuarial Research Corporation, assume no change in current law.
Kaiser Family Foundation, June 2003
"Adverse Selection in Private, Stand-Alone Drug Plans and Techniques to Reduce It"
Moon and coauthor Cristina Boccuti explore how adverse selection may impair implementation of a drug benefit that relies on private, drug-only insurance plans and discuss how the federal government might intervene. To make the drug benefit work for beneficiaries, the authors say that plans will need to compete on quality rather than on attracting the least expensive enrollees.
Commonwealth Fund, October 2003
"Chronic Conditions and Disabilities: Trends and Issues for Private Drug Plans"
How can a Medicare prescription drug benefit be designed to ensure adequate coverage for individuals with multiple, high-cost chronic conditions? Based on their findings, Moon and Boccuti say that a private market approach would need to be combined with federal regulations and subsidies to maintain affordable premiums. Other consumer protections, such as benefit and plan stability requirements, would be needed as well for this population.
Commonwealth Fund, October 2003
"Medicare Prescription Drug Legislation: How Would It Affect Beneficiaries?"
In this overview, Moon examines the adequacy, complexity, and fairness of the proposed drug benefit, the legislation’s emphasis on greater privatization, and whether provisions in the bills could penalize beneficiaries.
Commonwealth Fund, October 2003
"Private, Individual Drug Coverage in the Current Medicare Market"
Reliance on the private market is a hallmark of the two congressional prescription drug bills now in conference. Lessons gleaned from experiences with Medigap and Medicare+Choice suggest that new private, nongroup initiatives for providing drug coverage must do a better job than these two programs at attracting and retaining the participation of plans and beneficiaries. Among the issues they need to address are financial subsidy levels, regulations concerning access, and geographic variation.
Commonwealth Fund, October 2003
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