Substance Use Issues Are Worsening Alongside Access to Care August 12, 2021 Blog Drug overdose deaths rose during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, with some of the biggest jumps occurring among people of color. This analysis breaks out drug overdose deaths by race and ethnicity for the first nine months of 2020, to the same period in each of the two prior years. It also looks at access to care issues and recent and pending legislation aimed at addressing the nation’s substance use and mental health challenges.
Large Majorities Across Parties Favor Allowing the Federal Government to Negotiate Drug Prices, Even After Hearing Common Arguments About It October 12, 2021 News Release Most of the Public Lacks Confidence that President Biden, Congressional Democrats or Republicans Will Do the Right Thing on Drug Prices Allowing the federal government to negotiate with drug companies to lower drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries and people enrolled in private plans – a key cost-saving proposal in the…
Out-of-pocket spending on insulin among people with private insurance March 24, 2022 Issue Brief This analysis of insurance claims data finds that Congressional proposals to set a $35 per month cap on what people pay out of pocket for insulin would provide financial relief to at least 1 out of 5 insulin users with different types of private health insurance.
The Uncertain Future of Policies to Promote Access and Affordability Put in Place During the COVID-19 Pandemic May 19, 2022 Perspective In this column for the JAMA Health Forum, Larry Levitt highlights four changes implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic that helped to make health care more accessible and affordable and the prospects for those changes to telehealth, COVID-19 coverage, Medicaid and marketplace premiums continuing beyond the pandemic’s end.
Latest Federal Data Show That Young People Are More Likely Than Older Adults to Be Experiencing Symptoms of Anxiety or Depression March 20, 2023 News Release Young adults in the United States continue to be more likely than their older counterparts to be experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, according to the latest federal data analyzed by KFF researchers. The analysis of the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey finds that half (50%) of adults ages 18-24…
Surprise Medical Bills are Ending, But Controversy Continues January 20, 2022 Perspective In this column for the JAMA Health Forum, Larry Levitt examines how the No Surprises Act that prohibits unexpected out-of-network charges for patients could lead to lower payment rates and revenues for some doctors and other care providers.
Use of ACA preventive services potentially affected by Braidwood v. Becerra May 25, 2023 Issue Brief This analysis finds that about 10 million privately insured people received at least one ACA preventive service or drug that could be affected by a now-stayed U.S. District Court ruling, which found the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) requirement to cover certain preventive services without any cost sharing to be partially unconstitutional.
About 1 in 20 People with Private Insurance Received Services that Could be Affected by a District Court Ruling Limiting the ACA’s Preventive Services Mandate May 25, 2023 News Release A new KFF analysis finds about 1 in 20 privately insured people (5.7%) received at least one ACA preventive service or drug that could be affected by a now-stayed U.S. District Court ruling in Braidwood Management v. Becerra, which found the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) preventive services mandate partially unconstitutional.…
Medicaid Expenditures as a Percent of Total State Expenditures by Fund January 26, 2024 State Indicator