KFF Health Tracking Poll February 2024: Voters on Two Key Health Care Issues: Affordability and ACA February 21, 2024 Poll Finding This poll finds that inflation and health care affordability are the top issues voters want 2024 presidential candidates to discuss, as most rate the economy negatively. Adults worry most about affording unexpected medical bills and health care costs, and the Affordable Care Act remains popular despite partisan differences when it comes to its future.
KFF Health Tracking Poll: Economic Views and Experiences of Adults Who Struggle Financially February 21, 2024 Poll Finding Half of adults say they have difficulty affording monthly bills or are just able to afford household expenses without having money left over. These groups overwhelmingly rate the economy negatively and are more likely to want 2024 presidential candidates to discuss economic issues.
Health Care Costs Top the Public’s List of Financial Worries, and Those Who Are Struggling the Most Want to Hear Presidential Candidates Discuss Economic and Health Care Issues February 21, 2024 News Release At a time when kitchen table economic problems are on voters’ minds, unexpected medical bills and health care costs top the public’s list of financial concerns, and voters who are struggling to pay their monthly bills are the most eager to hear the presidential candidates talk about economic and health…
How Does Medical Inflation Compare to Inflation in the Rest of the Economy? July 26, 2023 Issue Brief Prices for medical services typically rise more quickly than the broader economy, but the reverse has been true recently as general inflation rose rapidly. This analysis finds that overall prices grew by 6% in February 2023 from the previous year, while prices for medical care increased only 2.3%.
Rural Hospitals Have Fared Worse Financially in States that Haven’t Expanded Medicaid Coverage February 23, 2023 News Release Rural hospitals fared worse financially in states that have not expanded their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act than in states that expanded Medicaid, a new KFF analysis finds. Nearly one third of all rural hospitals nationally are in the 11 states that have not approved the expansion of…
Rural Hospitals Face Renewed Financial Challenges, Especially in States That Have Not Expanded Medicaid February 23, 2023 Issue Brief This data note examines rural hospitals’ operating margins in recent years. After seeing higher margins early in the pandemic, likely due to government relief funds, rural hospitals now face renewed challenges, especially in states that have not expanded Medicaid.
Medicaid as a Potential New Third Rail of US Politics December 22, 2022 Perspective In this JAMA Forum column, KFF’s Larry Levitt examines Medicaid’s growing political importance and the potential double whammy that could hit state Medicaid programs next year with the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency and a possible simultaneous recession.
The Nation’s Largest For-Profit Health Systems Have Typically Had Operating Margins That Meet or Exceed Pre-Pandemic Levels December 5, 2022 News Release Despite higher inflation and dwindling COVID-19 relief funding from the federal government, the nation’s largest for-profit health systems so far this year have operating margins that meet or exceed levels in 2019 prior to the pandemic, a new KFF analysis finds. The analysis examines the financial performance of the three…