Part D

This study highlights the systematic barriers that keep nearly three million low-income older adults from accessing programs that help pay for health care. This issue brief shows that one-third of people eligible for Medicare Savings Programs are not currently enrolled. Barriers to enrollment include lack of awareness around the programs or an inability to complete the process. This issue brief also identifies potential policy solutions for improving access to these assistance programs.

These resources are intended to be used for education and outreach to raise awareness about the availability of Medicare benefits for low-income beneficiaries, namely the Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) and the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS/Extra Help) program. These outreach materials include posters to educate Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities about the low-income subsidies.

The Kaiser Family Foundation released an issue brief that analyzes the cost of Medicare Part D drug plans, specifically out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries. A major finding from the brief showed that Medicare Part D enrollees may pay thousands of dollars of out-of-pocket costs if they require a specialty drug, even after exceeding the catastrophic coverage threshold. This study's findings emphasize how important it is for beneficiaries to diligently shop for new plans each year.