Millions of Uninsured Americans are Eligible for Free ACA Health Insurance November 24, 2020 Blog Amid the ongoing pandemic and high unemployment, this poste xamines how many uninsured people would be eligible for free health insurance during in a typical year, including those who qualify for Medicaid or for tax credits that cover the full cost of an ACA Marketplace plan.
Potential Health Policy Administrative Actions Under President Biden December 8, 2020 Issue Brief This brief outlines the potential health policy actions that President Biden could take using executive authority, based on campaign pledges, and actions that would reverse or modify regulations or guidance issued by the Trump Administration.
How Has the Pandemic Affected Health Coverage in the U.S.? December 9, 2020 Blog Findings from administrative data suggest that the decline in enrollment among employer-sponsored insurance was far less than overall declines in employment as of September, and that many who did lose their job-based coverage likely found a safety net in coverage through Medicaid or the ACA marketplaces.
Health Insurer Financial Performance Through September 2020 December 16, 2020 Issue Brief In this brief, we analyze third quarter data from 2018 to 2020 to examine how insurance markets performed financially through the end of September. Average margins remained relatively high compared to the same point in recent years, suggesting many insurers remained profitable even as non-COVID-related care returned in the summer and fall.
KFF Health Tracking Poll – December 2020: COVID-19 and Biden’s Health Care Agenda December 18, 2020 Report This poll examines the public’s views on the coronavirus pandemic, its mental health impacts, experiences with social distancing, face mask wearing and views on business restrictions. This poll also examines the public’s views on the Affordable Care Act and President-elect Joe Biden’s health care policy proposals.
Poll: Large Majorities Now Say They Wear Masks Regularly and Can Continue Social Distancing for At Least Six Months if Needed, though Republicans Remain Less Likely to Take Such Precautions December 18, 2020 News Release As winter sets in and COVID-19 cases and deaths reach records in most parts of the country, more Americans say they wear masks every time they leave home now (73%) than said so in May (52%), a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. A small minority (11%) say they wear…
5 Targeted Actions a Biden Administration Could Use to Expand Medicaid Coverage December 21, 2020 Issue Brief The recent election of former Vice President Joe Biden as well as the on-going effects of the coronavirus pandemic and related economic downturn are the key issues that will substantially shape Medicaid policy over the next year.
Medicaid Expansion Enrollment and Spending Leading up to the COVID-19 Pandemic January 12, 2021 Issue Brief This issue brief analyzes enrollment and spending trends related to the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion ahead of the coronavirus pandemic and examines potential consequences of recent enrollment increases.
Joe Biden’s New Health Care Agenda (and CMS’s Big Role In It) January 11, 2021 Perspective With the Georgia runoff elections giving Democrats control of the U.S. Senate, Drew Altman discusses President-elect Biden’s potential health care agenda and suggests that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services could have an expanded role and that it may be time to rename it and elevate it to a cabinet agency.
Opportunities and Resources to Expand Enrollment During the Pandemic and Beyond January 25, 2021 Issue Brief This analysis summarizes recent interviews with marketplace navigators and other consumer assistance professionals, who offered observations about the 2021 Open Enrollment period, discussed general and pandemic-specific challenges facing consumers seeking coverage, and offered suggestions to improve enrollment outcomes. The brief also reviews information about federal marketplace resources and spending priorities contained in Trump Administration budget documents, and possible sources of funding for a COVID-19 special enrollment period during the Biden administration.