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HEALTH CARE

The Public Policy Institute’s Health Team conducts research and policy analysis, and brings together thought leaders to develop and advance AARP’s public policy agenda on health care.

Click below for reports on major health care topics. Use the PPI search box on the right for a more precise search.

Medicare

Medicaid

Health Costs

Health Coverage/ Insurance

Health Quality, Safety and Access

Healthy Behavior and Public Health

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Healthcare Workforce

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Medicaid: A Program of Last Resort for People Who Need Long-Term Services and Supports

Medicaid is a safety net of last resort for those whose needs exceed what unpaid family and friends can provide, and who exhaust their resources paying out-of-pocket for care. read

Improving State Oversight of Medicaid Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS)

Interviews with officials in eight states provide insight into the specific capacities Medicaid agencies need to monitor the performance of Medicaid managed LTSS. read

Removing Barriers to APRN Care: Home Health and Hospice Services

Allowing Advanced Practice Registered Nurses to certify home health and hospice services would benefit consumers, physicians, and the health care system. read

Medicare Part D’s Medication Therapy Management (MTM)

This paper examines current Medicare MTM program requirements, shifting program parameters, and success in several MTM programs outside of Part D. read

Who Relies on Medicare?

10 key facts about the Medicare population. read

Options for Reforming Medicare

National experts discuss a range of perspectives on leading proposals to reform Medicare. read

What Medicare Beneficiaries Spend Out-of-Pocket on Health Care

Most beneficiaries spend more than $3000 of their own money each year on health care. The oldest and poorest spend about a quarter of their incomes. read

Chronic Conditions Among Older Americans

Prevalence of the top chronic health conditions among the over 50 population by race and ethnicity read

Flu and Pneumonia Immunization: Disparities Persist

Medicare beneficiaries can get flu and pneumonia vaccines at no cost, but many don’t. Immunization rates among older African Americans and Hispanics are lower than those for whites. read

The Medicare Program: A Brief Overview

Who benefits from Medicare and what services does the program cover? This fact sheet provides an overview, along with a look at how services are delivered and how Medicare is financed. read

Rx Price Watch: Retail Drug Prices Outpace Inflation

This AARP Public Policy Institute report by Stephen Schondelmeyer and AARP’s Leigh Purvis finds that the cumulative change in retail prices for a combined set of widely used prescription drugs was almost double the rate of inflation between 2005 and 2009. read

Setting the Record Straight about Medicare

As the nation considers the future of Medicare, it is important to separate the facts from misconceptions about Medicare coverage, costs to beneficiaries, and efficiency of the program. read

Money, pill bottle, stethoscope-Health insurance for Americans 50-64

Health Insurance Coverage for 50-to 64-Year-Olds

Adults 50 to 64 face higher health care out-of-pocket costs and declining access to employer-sponsored coverage. read

Expanding Clinical Trials

Including older, sicker patients in clinical trials would make medical research more relevant for treating these people. read

What Care Works Best For Dual Eligibles?

A report on focus groups held with older Americans who receive Medicare and Medicaid. read

Many Medicare Part D Plans to Raise Premiums, Increase Cost-sharing

This report by Leigh Purvis and Lee Rucker shows that beneficiaries should carefully evaluate 2012 Part D plans during open enrollment. read

Biologics in Perspective: The New Biosimilar Approval Pathway

This AARP Public Policy Institute fact sheet by Leigh Purvis examines provisions in the Affordable Care Act that created an approval pathway for generic versions of biologic drugs, or biosimilars, but ensured that brand name biologic manufacturers are protected from this new competition for at least 12 years. read

Removing Barriers to Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Care: Hospital Privileges

Consumers benefit when advanced practice registered nurses have hospital privileges read

Health Reform Law Creates New Opportunities for States to Save Medicaid Dollars

This AARP Insight on the Issues report by PPI's Lynda Flowers and Wendy Fox-Grage examines how health care reform offers opportunities for cash-strapped Medicaid programs to save money and get extra federal dollars. read

Advancing Health in Rural America: Maximizing Nursing’s Impact

The 70 million Americans who live in rural areas face a significant shortage of health care providers. Registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses are delivering essential health care services as primary providers and care managers in rural areas. A Public Policy Institute Fact Sheet by Mary Sue Gorski. read

The High Cost of Capping Federal Medicaid Funding

Deficit reduction commissions and some policymakers have recommended capping federal funding to some or all of the Medicaid program. This Fact Sheet by AARP’s Lynda Flowers examines the pros and cons of these proposed changes. read

New Health Care Law Helps Protect 18 Million Medicare Beneficiaries from High Drug Costs

This AARP Public Policy Institute Fact Sheet by AARP’s Leigh Purvis examines how many Medicare Part D enrollees will benefit from the new health care law that closes the “doughnut hole.” National- and state-level estimates are provided. read

Medicare Beneficiaries’ Out-of-Pocket Spending for Health Care

A report from AARP’s Lynn Nonnemaker shows Medicare beneficiaries spent a median of $3,103 a year of their own money on health care in 2006. Ten percent of beneficiaries—more than 4 million people—spent more than $8,300 a year. The oldest and poorest beneficiaries spent about one-quarter of their income on health care. read

Medicare Part D Open Enrollment: Tough Choices for 2011 as Plans Change, Costs Shift

To make the most of Medicare Part D, beneficiaries will need to closely investigate changes in plan benefits and choices. read

Care Management Practices in Integrated Care Models for Dual Eligibles

Administrative challenges for State-authorized health plans whose members are qualified to receive Medicare and Medicaid benefits. read

The Creation of American Health Benefit Exchanges

Rx Price Watch: Retail Drug Prices Outpace Inflation

Quick Health Facts 2010: A Compilation of Selected State Data

A compilation of selected state data on older Americans read

Health Care Reform Improves Access to Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services

Health care reform improves access to home and community-based services. read

Health Reform Initiatives to Improve Care Coordination and Transitional Care for Chronic Conditions

This PPI Fact Sheet describes how health reform legislation will improve care coordination and transitional care. read

Health Reform and the Workforce: Will There Be Enough Providers?

This fact sheet reviews provisions in the new health care reform law to increase the number of providers available. read

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