Jul 19, 2016 by Gretchen Jacobson and Tricia Neuman
This Issue Brief, available at http://kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/turning-medicare-into-a-premium-support-system-frequently-asked-questions/, is an excellent breakdown of what a "Premium Support" structure – also referred to as "Defined Contributions" or "Vouchers" – would mean for Medicare and Medicare beneficiaries. Topics addressed include:
- What is premium support?
- How could a premium support system for Medicare affect beneficiaries’ premiums and out-of-pocket costs?
- What could a premium support system mean for Medicare benefits?
- Could a premium support system reduce federal spending on Medicare?
- How could a premium support system affect traditional Medicare?
- What could be the implications of “grandfathering” current beneficiaries while phasing in a premium support system?
- How could a premium support system affect low-income Medicare beneficiaries?
- How could a premium support system affect private Medicare plans?
- How could a premium support system affect the implementation of payment and delivery system reforms in traditional Medicare?
- How could a premium support system affect hospitals and other providers that currently receive additional payments under the traditional Medicare program?
- How could a Medicare premium support system differ from the ACA marketplaces?
- What does the public think about premium support?