Author Archives: Molly Frommer, Brett Lissenden, Yolanda Peele, & John Kautter

About Molly Frommer, Brett Lissenden, Yolanda Peele, & John Kautter

Brett Lissenden is a Research Health Economist in the Health Care Financing and Payment program at RTI International. His current work focuses on risk adjustment for health plans and payment models for cancer patients on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. He received his PhD in Economics from the University of Virginia. He is also a credentialed actuary.

Effects of COVID-19 in ACA markets

In this post, we examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected frequencies of diagnoses and claims costs in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces in 2020 and 2021. The ACA marketplaces are critical sources of coverage for millions of Americans and were increasingly so during the COVID-19 pandemic due to job losses and coverage disruptions. The… Read More »

How do lower-income enrollees use care on ACA marketplaces?

The ACA marketplaces continue to be an important source of health insurance for millions of Americans. Achieving health equity for these enrollees may require more than simply providing coverage. The number of individuals who selected a Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plan increased from 8 million [PDF] in 2014 to 16 million [PDF] in 2023.… Read More »

How are CMMI health policy evaluations addressing non-parallel trends?

To help determine which health policy changes to the Medicare or Medicaid programs are desirable, the CMS Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) relies on formal evaluations, performed by outside contractors, of how smaller scale, typically voluntary, demonstrations and other initiatives impact outcomes of interest. However, determining causal impacts often relies on the key… Read More »

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The Second Decade of Medicare Part D: Time to Modernize?

The Medicare Part D program, which was launched in 2006, is in the middle of its second decade of providing prescription drug coverage to Medicare beneficiaries. The Part D program has improved beneficiaries’ access to prescription drugs but at increasing cost. Federal spending for Part D has more than doubled from $44.3 billion in 2006… Read More »

Options for Universal Coverage: Part 3 – Increasing Medicare Benefits

In this series on options for universal coverage, we explore elements of various reform proposals and evaluate their potential impact. Rather than examining complete proposals, we highlight specific policy elements that appear in one or more such proposals. The three we focus on in this series are: Eliminating Medicare Advantage (May 14, 2020) Expanding Medicare… Read More »

Options for Universal Coverage: Part 2 – Eligibility and Enrollment

In this series on options for universal coverage, we explore elements of various reform proposals and evaluate their potential impact. Rather than examining complete proposals, we highlight specific policy elements that appear in one or more such proposals. The three we focus on in this series are: Part 1 – Eliminating Medicare Advantage (May 14,… Read More »

Options for Universal Coverage: Part 1 – Public vs. Private Provision

With the 2020 US presidential election drawing near, debate about the options for universal coverage will ramp up. At the heart of this debate is the estimated 45% of US adults who are either uninsured or under-insured. They are at risk of experiencing financial hardship or going without needed care in a time when access to… Read More »