Latest projections, as of May 2013, of financial projections for Medicare to 2023.  From the Congressional Budget Office

Presents baseline budget projections for federal government revenues and outlays  and changes to the projections since February 2013.  Predicts the federal budget deficit will shrink this year to $642 billion or 4% of GDP.  From the Congressional Budget Office

Sees a gloomy future for state and local governments as they attempt to deal with projected rising deficits due primarily to the rising costs of Medicaid and health care coverage for employees and retirees.  From the Government Accountability Office

Describes what the board is, how and why it was created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and how it works to control the growth of Medicare costs per beneficiary.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Analyzes strategies used to reduce prescription drug costs by such characteristics as age, health insurance status, and poverty status.  Strategies used included taking pills at slower rate than prescribed, asking for cheaper drugs, purchasing drugs from another country, or using alternative therapies.     From the National Center for Health Statistics

The Health Care.gov Plan Finder is the first comprehensive online portal that assists consumers in comparing their health insurance coverage options.  All private health insurers are required to submit information to the Plan Finder.  This report is an evaluation of the quality of information provided to the site and the effectiveness of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in providing oversight.  From the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services

Discusses the complexities involved in comparing beneficiary benefits and costs to individuals covered by Medicaid or by Affordable Care Act exchange plans.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Tries to describe what the long-term budget effects of the Affordable Care Act will be based on various scenarios.   From the Government Accountability Office

Letter of the governor to the General Assembly leaders announcing his decision to exclude Virginia from federal efforts to expand healthcare coverage under Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act as of January 2014.  From the Office of the Governor

Examines the rise in the rate of federal spending, now 1 out of every 6 dollars spent, on means-tested programs for the low income such as Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, tax credits, and others over the past 40 years.  From the Congressional Budget Office

http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement/2012/supplement12.pdf

Major annual source of information on the U.S. social insurance and welfare programs.  Offers statistics on social security, supplemental security income, Medicare, Medicaid, and other social services programs.  From the Social Security Administration

Covers history of the program, eligibility and enrollment, benefits and payments, financing, and recent modifications.   From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Describes the provisions of PL 112-240 which extended higher physician fee schedule payments than those called for by the sustainable growth rate mechanism and made other changes that added $800 million in spending over the 2013-2022 period.   From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Latest edition of erratically updated compilation of data on social services programs of the federal government.  From the House Ways and Means Committee

Reports that the average hospital stay in the U.S. in 2010 cost $9,700.  Also covers the most expensive conditions, trends for costs in hospital stays since 1997, and the share of costs absorbed by Medicare and Medicaid.   From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Announces Virginia’s decision that the state will not build and operate a state-based health benefits exchange but will choose to let the federal government create and operate the required exchange beginning in January 2014.  From the Office of the Governor

Reports on the number of hospital stays, the average length of stays, the costs, and the source of payment, including type of health insurance.  From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Finds that the federal government is on an unsustainable long-term fiscal path.  Includes key budget assumptions for various budget scenarios based on Social Security and Medicare Trustees’ projections.  From the Government Accountability Office

Discusses the bleak options for deficit reduction unless entitlement spending is reduced and taxes are increased.  Also discusses possible effects on state governments if federal government reduced the revenue it currently sends to states.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Examines how changes in Medicare prescription cost sharing might be affected by variations in utilization of services such as filling of prescriptions by beneficiaries.  From the Congressional Budget Office

Describes the basic elements of Medicaid, including the federal rules governing who is eligible, what services are covered, how the program is financed,  how beneficiaries share in the costs, how providers are paid, and the role of special waivers.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by OpenCRS.com

Reports results of investigation that determined that 25% of Medicare claims from skilled nursing facilities in 2009 were erroneous or fraudulent resulting in $1.5 billion in inappropriate payments.  From the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services

Examines changes made to the so-called Donut Hole coverage gap for Medicare recipients between initial and catastrophic coverage by the Affordable Care Act and the effect of the changes on drug prices, plan sponsors, drug manufacturers, and pharmacy benefit managers.  From the Government Accountability Office

Provides information about how the military health system is structured, explains the nature of the different TRICARE plans, the relationship of TRICARE and Medicare, and the outlook for long-term Defense health costs.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Analyzes three options for alignment that would modify the Self-Employment Contributions Tax Act tax base by either reducing the share of capital income or increasing the share of labor income included in the base.  From the Congressional Budget Office

This report presents the most recent national estimates of obesity in adults aged 65 and over.  It also examines changes in the prevalence of obesity between 1999 and 2010.  More than one-third of older adults were obese in 2007-2010.  From the National Center for Health Statistics

Argues the need for major changes in the structure of federal programs due to the increasingly large percentage of the U.S. population that is over 65.  From the National Research Council

This report provides a broad overview of Medigap insurance, including the history of Medigap legislation, the various types of Medigap plans, consumer protections from Medigap policies, and requirements facing insurance providers.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Discusses the requirement in the health care law that insurance companies must meet minimum standards relating to premium dollars spent on medical benefits, as opposed to company expenses such as overhead or profits, or provide rebates to policy holders.  Looks at the regulations developed to implement these standards and issues in the details.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

This report presents selected trends in physician shortages and access to care measures for generalist and specialty physicians.  Finds that the number of specialty physicians is significantly larger than the number of generalists but the latter see more patients.  From the National Center for Health Statistics