Apr 23, 2018 | Legislation/ Budgets/ Macro
CBO recently published its annual update of economic and fiscal projections for the US over the next 10 years. CBO deficit and debt projections for the period from 2018 to 2028 are very negative. The annual deficit projections and cumulative national debt projections are the largest since World War II. These levels of deficit spending and debt accumulation are very likely to bring deficit-reduction efforts back to the center of the US political debate in the 2020s. The 2024 Presidential election cycle has the potential to be focused on fiscal policy. Click to read more.
Apr 19, 2018 | Post-Acute Care
FFS spending on post-acute care (PAC) has not kept pace with total Medicare FFS spending over the past several years. In this brief, we will discuss this trend, factors contributing to it, and what can be expected going forward. Click to read more.
Apr 16, 2018 | Medicare Advantage, Part D
Medicare Part D is a voluntary outpatient prescription drug benefit for people on Medicare. Since the program’s inception in 2006, enrollment in Medicare Part D drug plans has consistently grown, but enrollment varies by state. In this brief, we will utilize enrollment data from CMS to provide an overview of the growth in Part D drug enrollment through the years and how Part D plan enrollment penetration varies by state. Click to read more.
Apr 12, 2018 | Medicare Advantage, Part D
On April 3, CMS released the 2019 Part D Payment Policy and Final Call Letter. CMS did not elaborate much on its view on rebate policies, but did note that it believes it has legal authority to make some changes. The rule also clarified how MA plans can negotiate with hospitals and 340B pharmacies for the provision of drugs, and included policies to limit and better track opioid prescriptions.Click to read more.
