News Release Archives

Analysis of Epic Electronic Health Record Data Shows People of Color Fare Worse than White Patients at Every Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Including Higher Rates of Infection, Hospitalization and Death

Sep 16, 2020

News Release

People of color were more likely to test positive for COVID-19 and to require a higher level of care at the time of diagnosis compared to White patients, according to a new analysis from Epic Health Research Network and KFF. They also were more likely to be hospitalized and die from the novel coronavirus than White patients were. The racial disparities in illness and death are not fully explained by differences in underlying sociodemographic characteristics…

New Brief Highlights Disparities in Fertility Services Driven by Cost and Gaps in Coverage

Sep 15, 2020

News Release

A new KFF brief provides a comprehensive overview of the coverage and use of fertility services in the United States, highlighting cost and insurance coverage gaps as key barriers faced by low-income people, Black and Hispanic people, LGBTQ individuals, infertile couples and single individuals seeking these services. The coronavirus pandemic has worsened the availability of medical services and the financial situations of many Americans. Utilization of fertility services has declined, and medical professional societies issued…

From the Federal Response to COVID-19 to Ongoing Efforts to Repeal the ACA and Proposals for Lowering Drug Prices, President Trump Has an Extensive Record on Health Care

Sep 14, 2020

News Release

Since taking office in 2017, President Trump has laid down an extensive record on health care, including his response to the COVID-19 pandemic, his early and ongoing efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, his annual budget proposals to curb spending on Medicare and Medicaid, his executive orders and other proposals to lower prescription drug prices, and his initiative on hospital price transparency. President Trump’s record on health care provides a window into…

Analysis Compares President Trump and Democratic Nominee Biden on COVID-19

Sep 11, 2020

News Release

Few issues are likely to matter as much to voters in November’s presidential election as President Trump’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis, which have left almost 200,000 Americans dead and prompted job layoffs and furloughs affecting tens of millions of Americans. A new election brief compares President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden on their records, actions and proposals related to the pandemic and its health and economic consequences, including a…

Poll: Most Americans Worry Political Pressure Will Lead to Premature Approval of a COVID-19 Vaccine; Half Say They Would Not Get a Free Vaccine Approved Before Election Day

Sep 10, 2020

News Release

Republican and Independent Voters See the Economy as Their Top Issue; Coronavirus and Race Relations Top Democrats’ List Most Americans (62%) worry that the political pressure from the Trump administration will lead the Food and Drug Administration to rush to approve a coronavirus vaccine without making sure that it is safe and effective, the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. This includes majorities of Democrats (85%) and independents (61%), as well as a third of…

COVID-19 Outbreaks in Long-Term Care Facilities Were Most Severe in the Early Months of the Pandemic, but Data Show Cases and Deaths in Such Facilities May Be On the Rise Again

Sep 1, 2020

News Release

The rate of new COVID-19 cases and deaths in long-term care facilities declined markedly in May and June after the novel coronavirus swept through nursing homes in April, but recent data show the incidence may be on the rise again, according to a new KFF analysis. A second new analysis from KFF examines the impact of COVID-19 on assisted living facilities, a type of long-term care facility that, unlike nursing homes, is not federally regulated,…

Election 2020: Where Trump and Biden Stand on Mental Health and Substance Use Issues

Aug 24, 2020

News Release

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, half of Americans report that their mental health has been negatively impacted due to related stress and worry. Many are, or will be, struggling with mental health challenges due to anxiety, social isolation, loss of loved ones, and job losses – potentially leading to increased mental health care needs over the long term. A new issue brief examines where President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden stand on key aspects of the…

Amid the Coronavirus Crisis, President Trump and Democratic Nominee Joe Biden Offer Widely Different Views on Health Care

Aug 20, 2020

News Release

President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden hold widely divergent views on health issues, with the president’s record and response to the coronavirus pandemic likely to play a central role in November’s elections. A new KFF side-by-side comparison examines President Trump’s record and former Vice President Biden’s positions across a wide range of key health issues, including the response to the pandemic, the Affordable Care Act marketplace, Medicaid, Medicare, drug prices, reproductive health, HIV, mental…

Analysis Finds 14 Million Medicare Part D and Large Employer Plan Enrollees Used Mail-Order Pharmacies Pre-Pandemic, Top Drugs Filled Were to Treat Chronic Conditions

Aug 20, 2020

News Release

With questions being raised about potential delays in U.S. Postal Service delivery, a new KFF data note estimates 14 million enrollees in Medicare Part D and large employer plans relied on mail-order pharmacies for at least one prescription in 2018, with a total of over 170 million prescriptions fulfilled. The use of mail-order pharmacies has been rising in recent years as patients have often been incentivized or mandated to use mail service for convenience and…

Analysis: Many Private Insurers Offer Financial Relief for COVID-19 Treatment, but Cost-Sharing Waivers Are Expiring

Aug 20, 2020

News Release

A new analysis finds that most people with individual or fully-insured group market coverage are in plans that waived cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatment, though many of those waivers are set to expire in the coming months. About 88% - nearly nine in ten - enrollees in the individual and fully-insured group markets are covered by plans that have taken action to limit out-of-pocket costs for patients undergoing treatment for COVID-19 since the start of the…

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