Medicare

via the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):

In April 2023, 94,151,768 individuals were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.

• 87,062,629 individuals were enrolled in Medicaid in April 2023, an increase of 348,055 individuals from March 2023.

• 7,089,139​​​​​​​ individuals were enrolled in CHIP in April 2023, a decrease of 73,121 individuals from March 2023.

• Since February 2020, enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP has increased by 23,276,699 individuals (32.8%).
  • Medicaid enrollment has increased by 22,982,836 individuals (35.9%).
  • CHIP enrollment has increased by 293,863 individuals (4.3%).

Medicaid enrollment likely increased due to the COVID-19 PHE and Medicaid continuous enrollment condition under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which started in March 2020 and ended on March 31, 2023.

via the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):

New Report Projects Nearly 19 Million Seniors Will Save $400 Per Year on Out-of-Pocket Prescription Drug Costs

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced actions to protect consumers from junk health plans, surprise medical bills, and excess costs that lead to medical debt. These actions build on the Biden-Harris Administration’s effort to eliminate hidden fees in every sector of the economy and lower health care costs for American seniors and families.

Coinciding with the actions taken today, HHS also released a new report projecting that nearly 19 million seniors will save approximately $400 per year on prescription drug costs when the $2,000 out-of-pocket prescription drug spending cap from the Inflation Reduction Act – President Biden’s historic lower cost prescription drug law – goes into effect in 2025.

Every month for years now, the Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) has published a monthly press release with a breakout of total Medicare, Medicaid & CHIP enrollment; the most recent one was posted in late February, and ran through November 2022.

Since December 2022, however, they haven't sent out the normal press release; instead, they included a brief note leading to a Medicaid/CHIP data slideshow , along with another note leading to their new Medicare Monthly Enrollment database.

In any event, according to the spreadsheet I exported, as of February 2023:

via the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):

In February 2023, 93,373,794 individuals were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.

• 86,174,094 individuals were enrolled in Medicaid in January 2023, an increase of 291,095 individuals from January 2023.

• 7,199,700 individuals were enrolled in CHIP in February 2023, an increase of 111,838 individuals from January 2023.

• Since February 2020, enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP has increased by 22,723,554 individuals (32.2%).
  • Medicaid enrollment has increased by 22,369,004 individuals (35.1%).
  • CHIP enrollment has increased by 354,550 individuals (5.2%).

The Medicaid enrollment increases are likely driven by COVID-19 and the continuous enrollment condition in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

One of the most important provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, passed with only Democratic votes in the U.S. House last summer, was this one: After decades of prior attempts, it finally allows the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to actively negotiate the price of at least some prescription drugs. As explained by the Kaiser Family Foundation:

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the Act), signed into law by President Biden in August 2022, includes several provisions to lower prescription drug costs for people with Medicare and reduce drug spending by the federal government. One of the Act’s key drug-related policies is a requirement for the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate prices with drug companies for certain drugs covered under Medicare Part D (starting in 2026) and Part B (starting in 2028). This new requirement is the culmination of years of debate among lawmakers over whether to grant the federal government the authority to negotiate drug prices in Medicare.

Every month for years now, the Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) has published a monthly press release with a breakout of total Medicare, Medicaid & CHIP enrollment; the most recent one was posted in late February, and ran through November 2022.

Since December 2022, however, they haven't sent out the normal press release; instead, they included a brief note leading to a Medicaid/CHIP data slideshow , along with another note leading to their new Medicare Monthly Enrollment database.

In any event, according to the spreadsheet I exported, as of January 2023:

via the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):

In January 2023, 93,008,246 individuals were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.

• 85,915,795 individuals were enrolled in Medicaid in January 2023, an increase of 629,200 individuals from December 2022.

• 7,092,451 individuals were enrolled in CHIP in January 2023, an increase of 30,891 individuals from December 2022.

• Since February 2020, enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP has increased by 22,358,006 individuals (31.6%).
  • Medicaid enrollment has increased by 22,110,705 individuals (34.7%).
  • CHIP enrollment has increased by 247,301 individuals (3.6%).

The Medicaid enrollment increases are likely driven by COVID-19 and the continuous enrollment condition in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

Hmmm...this is a bit odd. Every month for years now, the Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) has published a monthly press release with a breakout of total Medicare, Medicaid & CHIP enrollment; the most recent one was posted in late February, and ran through November 2022.

For the December update, however, they haven't sent out the normal press release; instead, they included a brief note leading to a Medicaid/CHIP data slideshow which I summarized yesterday, along with another note leading to their new Medicare Monthly Enrollment database.

In any event, according to the spreadsheet I exported, as of December 2022:

via the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):

In December 2022, 92,340,585 individuals were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.

• 85,280,085 individuals were enrolled in Medicaid in December 2022, an increase of 425,110

• 7,060,500 individuals were enrolled in CHIP in December 2022, an increase of 87,296 individuals from November 2022.

• Since February 2020, enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP has increased by 21,690,345 individuals (30.7%).
  • Medicaid enrollment has increased by 21,474,995 individuals (33.7%).
  • CHIP enrollment has increased by 215,350 individuals (3.1%).

The Medicaid enrollment increases are likely driven by COVID-19 and the continuous enrollment condition in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

In December 2022, 2,360,820 applications for Medicaid and CHIP were submitted directly to states.

Just to prove that there's still some sane healthcare-related legislation coming out of Republican-controlled legislatures these days, Indiana state representative Mark Carbaugh (R) has introduced a bill which seems harmless enough and makes sense to me:

Transition from Marketplace plan to Medicare.

Requires an insurer or health maintenance organization that provides coverage under an Affordable Care Act Marketplace (Marketplace) plan to provide to each individual covered under the Marketplace plan, not more than two months before the birthday on which the individual will become 65 years of age, a written message that includes: (1) a statement that the individual will be eligible to enroll in Medicare during the individual's initial enrollment period, which begins three months before the individual becomes 65 years of age; (2) a statement advising the individual that, in most cases, someone covered by a Marketplace plan will want to end their Marketplace coverage upon becoming eligible for Medicare; and (3) detailed instructions that the individual may follow to cancel the individual's Marketplace plan.