Federal Policy
As the largest, single US healthcare payer, the government plays a dominant role in shaping the healthcare marketplace. Our experts track, interpret, and model federal policies that affect insurance coverage, access, and consumer choice so you can see around the bend.
Featured Content
Free Exchange Plan Options Are Available to Many Low-Income Consumers for 2020
New analysis from Avalere finds that over 96% of counties with exchanges operated by HealthCare.gov have free plan options for low-income consumers.
5 Key Trends from the 2020 CMS Star Ratings Report
Join Avalere experts on our webinar on October 29, 2019, to unpack CMS’ 2020 Star Ratings and look at what’s to come for 2021.
3 Trends to Watch in this Medicare Open Enrollment Season
As Medicare Advantage enrollment grows and benefits continue to evolve, beneficiaries must keep pace with these changes and investigate plan options amidst current healthcare debates.
Healthcare 2020: Facts and Figures in Advance of the Next Democratic Debate
With the 2020 presidential election nearly 1 year away, healthcare reform remains one of the top issues for voters heading into the election year.
Issue Brief: OOP Costs Among Medicare Part D Enrollees Reaching the Catastrophic Threshold
As policymakers consider reforms to the Part D benefit to address rising out-of-pocket (OOP) costs by adding a maximum OOP cap, an Avalere analysis examines the types of beneficiaries mostly likely to be helped by such a policy.
What’s Next for Biologics Under USMCA?
The USMCA’s intellectual property provisions add additional layers of ambiguity to the already complex issues surrounding biological product exclusivity and its future in US law.
SFC Drug Pricing Proposal Would Increase Part D Manufacturer Discounts for Some Therapeutic Areas
Avalere analysis finds that tying Medicare Part D manufacturer discounts to utilization in the catastrophic phase instead of in the coverage gap would have differential impacts by disease area.
Tom Kornfield Returns to Avalere Health, Expanding Firm’s Depth in Medicare Policy
Healthcare industry veteran brings decades of Medicare Advantage, Part D, risk adjustment, and business expertise to payer, life sciences, and provider clients.
CMMI Program Savings Fall Below CBO’s 2016 Projections
CMMI’s impact on Medicare spending has so far not reached earlier projections by the Congressional Budget Office, demonstrating the difficulty in projecting savings from new and unknown alternative payment models.
Avalere Experts Discuss 2020 Regulatory Changes to the Insulin Market
On August 6, Avalere’s regulatory experts published an article in BioDrugs highlighting upcoming regulatory changes for insulin.
3.7M Part D Beneficiaries Are Projected to Reach the Catastrophic Phase in 2020
As policymakers consider reforms to Part D, new Avalere analysis shows that congressional proposals to cap out-of-pocket (OOP) costs in the catastrophic phase are likely to reduce OOP for many beneficiaries
Impact of Proposed CMS Methodology for Calculating Payment Errors May Vary Based on Plan Enrollee Characteristics
In 2018, CMS proposed to revise its Risk Adjustment Data Validation (RADV) methodology to exclude the FFS Adjuster in its payment recoupment calculations. New analysis from Avalere finds that the payment impact associated with fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare coding discrepancies would be greater for certain subgroups of beneficiaries (e.g., dual-eligible, those with certain common and potentially serious health conditions) enrolled in the MA program.
The VA National Formulary for Top Medical Benefit Drugs Is Narrower than Current Medicare Part B Drug Coverage
Avalere analysis finds that 24 of the top 50 non-vaccine Part B drugs are not on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Formulary.
1 in 5 Medicare Beneficiaries Taking a Part D Cancer Therapy Reached Catastrophic Level in 2017
Avalere analysis finds that a larger proportion of beneficiaries taking a Part D cancer therapy reached catastrophic compared to all Part D enrollees.
Methodology and Analysis of the Center for American Progress’s Medicare Extra Policy Proposal
The Center for American Progress (CAP) commissioned Avalere to evaluate ‘Medicare Extra’ as a package of reform polices implemented and phased in over time across the US healthcare system.
Note on Avalere’s Recent Biosimilars Policy Modeling
Avalere was recently commissioned to project how policy proposals related to biosimilars would impact government spending and patient costs, including modeling and scoring analyses created for 3 proposals publicly released by the Biosimilars Forum in May 2019.
Strategic Opportunities for Health Plans: 2020 and Beyond
Health plans today have a range of strategic opportunities that align well with emerging policy themes for 2020.
Transitioning RA Drugs from Part B to Part D Would Increase Catastrophic Benefit Fills
New Avalere analysis finds that shifting Part B-covered rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drugs to Part D benefit would increase the share of prescriptions occurring in the catastrophic phase for impacted beneficiaries by more than 5 times.
Avalere Analysis Examines Drug Spending in Medicare Part D
As policymakers increasingly consider policy options to reform Medicare Part D and reduce program expenditures, an Avalere analysis examines spending across classes with various availability of brand and generic drugs.
The Administration Provides Employers and Employees with Enhanced Flexibility in Connection with Health Reimbursement Arrangements
Final rule by the Treasury Department, Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services reverses previous Treasury Department guidance blocking tax-advantaged HRAs that were not integrated with a comprehensive employer-sponsored plan.