AARP, Public Policy Institute, State Data Center
The Public Policy Institute publishes a wide range of state-specific data related to Americans ages 50 and above.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) is a set of large-scale surveys of families and individuals, their medical providers (doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, etc.), and employers across the United States. The survey collects data on the specific health services that Americans use, how frequently they use them, the cost of these services, and how they are paid for, as well as data on the cost, scope, and breadths of health insurance held by available U.S. workers.
The Census Bureau , the American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey
These surveys provide in-depth data on the U.S. population at the state and local level about a wide range of issues, including demographics, employment, earnings, health insurance, and education.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Research, Statistics, Data, & Systems
Various reports and surveys provide an overview of the U.S. health-care system, CMS program operations, and the Medicare program. Data on the Medicare program includes information on Medicare beneficiaries and spending, utilization of services, the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, and the Medicare Advantage program. CMS also provides other information about the Medicare and Medicaid programs, in addition to information about the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. CMS also produces the annual report of the Medicare Trustees, which provides an annual overview of the short-term and long-term financial status of the Medicare program.
Kaiser Family Foundation, Program on Medicare Policy.
The KFF Program on Medicare Policy conducts analysis on major issues affecting the program, including financing, benefits, the impact of the ACA, and analysis of Medicare reform options. Key resources from the Foundation include:
-Medicare At a Glance Fact Sheet, 2011.
-Medicare: A Primer, April 2010.
-Medicare Chart Book, April 2010
-Summary of Key Changes to Medicare in 2010 Health Reform Law, May 2010
-Medicare Quiz
Other basic Medicare resources are also available, including fact sheets and data spotlights, in addition to more in-depth analysis of Medicare reform options. KFF also conducts monthly Health Tracking Polls, many of which address issues surrounding Medicare. The State Health Facts Online provides state-by-state information covering a wide variety of health policy topics including Medicare. The interactive database Medicare Health and Prescription Drug Plan Tracker clearly compares Medicare Advantage plans by geographic area, population, and type of plans, as well as comparing various Prescription Drug Plans.
MedPAC, A Data Book: Health Care Spending and the Medicare Program, June 2011.
This report provides information on national health care and Medicare spending as well as Medicare beneficiary demographics, dual-eligible beneficiaries, quality of care in the Medicare program, and Medicare beneficiary and other payer liability. Additional resources from MedPAC include annual reports to Congress on Medicare Payment Policy and Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System, which make recommendations to the government on various aspects of the program and on how to sustain Medicare and access.
National Academy of Social Insurance, Medicare Finances: Findings of the 2011 Trustees Report, May 2011.
Each year, the Trustees of the Medicare program issue a report on the expected condition of the program’s two trust funds over a 10-year (short term) and a 75-year (long term) period.
Updated: July 2012