The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
In a new Beyond the Data column, President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman forecasts eight things to look for in health policy in 2026. “First and foremost,” he writes, “is the role health care affordability will play in the midterms.” And, he notes: “The average cost of a family policy for employers could approach $30,000 and cost sharing and deductibles will rise again after plateauing for several years.”
Our new survey shares views and experiences of Marketplace enrollees as they weigh coverage options for 2026, which don’t include the enhanced ACA tax credits and other policy options. Read the news release →
KFF’s interactive tracks key data and policies that will affect how states implement Medicaid work requirements, which are required under the 2025 budget reconciliation law starting in January 2027. The tracker includes state-level data on Medicaid enrollment and renewal outcomes as well as current state enrollment and renewal policies.
Timely insights and analysis from KFF staff
As the ACA open enrollment deadline approaches amid the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits, nearly six in 10 Marketplace enrollees say they would not be able to afford $300 more in annual health care costs, which may lead some to alternative coverage products, such as short-term plans, a type of private coverage that… more
“Our recent [survey] found very few parents (9%) report skipping or delaying the hepatitis B vaccine for their children…this is similar to a 2023 KFF survey showing that most adults overall stayed up-to-date on the hepatitis B vaccine, with just 10% reporting having skipped or delayed it.” more
When federal health officials frame unverified [Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System] reports as evidence of vaccine-caused deaths, it may become more difficult for health communicators to explain the system’s limitations and the vaccines’ extensive safety evidence. more
In this JAMA Viewpoints column, KFF’s Drew Altman, Ashley Kirzinger and Mollyann Brodie explore the power of health care affordability as an economic issue, how it has played out in recent election cycles, and the implications for the 2026 midterm elections.
KFF polling has found that the high cost of health care is a burden on U.S. families, and that health care costs factor into decisions about insurance coverage and care seeking.
This chapter examines how health care spending varies across the population, the impact of costs on care affordability and individuals’ overall financial vulnerability.
KFF shares the first state-level view of the role of different reproductive health safety net providers in contraceptive care for female Medicaid enrollees. In 2023, more than 4 in 10 female Medicaid enrollees had their last contraceptive visit at a Planned Parenthood, community health center, health department, or Indian Health Services.
This issue brief reviews the Department of Homeland Security proposed rule that would rescind 2022 Biden-era public charge determination regulations. The proposed public charge changes — along with other Trump administration policy changes — will likely lead to decreased participation in public programs, including Medicaid, among a broad group of immigrant families, including citizen children in those families.
ACA marketplace premiums are going up an average of 26%. But what enrollees will pay could go up an average of 114%. How can both of those numbers be right? This short video explains the difference between what insurers charge and what enrollees will pay if the enhanced premium tax credits expire.
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Michelle Long 
Alex Montero 
Joel Luther