Events

The pressures of inflation are far reaching, affecting providers, insurers, government programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, and, ultimately, the American people. Over the coming months, health care providers and insurers will wrap up pricing negotiations and set premiums for the next year. Amid these negotiations, there remain big questions as to how economic policy and legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act will influence pricing and payment for insurance and health care, including prescription drugs, and who will bear the brunt of rising costs.

On Thursday, August 11, a panel of KFF experts held a web briefing to explain the provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act and how they would affect people and federal health spending.

On Wednesday, July 20th, a panel of experts joined series moderator Larry Levitt in a 45-minute discussion about the use and safety of medication abortion and the current and future policy and practical challenges for accessing it across the country.

On June 9, KFF released findings from a national public opinion survey on abortion. The event highlighted key issues including awareness and attitudes of the impending Supreme Court opinion, its potential impact on abortion access, the importance of abortion policy to voting preferences in this year’s midterm elections, and knowledge of abortion and related health care.

On May 23, 2022, a panel of experts joined series moderator Larry Levitt in a 45-minute discussion exploring the drivers of rising drug prices and potential administrative actions to address them.

On Tuesday, April 26, 2022, a panel of experts joined series moderator Larry Levitt in a 45-minute discussion exploring the future of mental health policy, including continuing enforcement challenges related to mental health parity and potential policy actions that could help improve access to mental health and SUD care.

On Tuesday, March 22, expert panelists with diverse perspectives joined series moderator Larry Levitt in a 45-minute discussion exploring future directions for telehealth policy, including challenges facing its expanded use, impact on patient care and effects on the U.S. health care system.This was the first in KFF’s new virtual conversation series, The Health Wonk Shop, which dives into timely health policy issues with experts for a deeper discussion beyond the news headlines, taking questions from viewers over Zoom.

On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, KFF hosted a web briefing focused on the implications of the end of the PHE and the Medicaid continuous enrollment requirement. State Medicaid programs’ existing enrollment and renewal procedures, as well as their differing approaches to the unwinding of the continuous enrollment requirement, will have major impacts on Medicaid enrollment and broader health coverage trends.

Older adults have suffered more illness and death from covid-19 than any other group. How are they faring as the pandemic enters its third year? KFF’s Kaiser Health News (KHN) and The John A. Hartford Foundation explored that question in depth in a 90-minute interactive web event on Feb. 23, 2022.

Since before the first COVID-19 vaccine became available more than a year ago, the KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor Project has tracked the public’s evolving views about and experiences with the vaccines amid the ongoing pandemic. On Feb. 8, 2022 KFF held a web briefing to share insights gleaned from nearly 40 Vaccine Monitor reports based on survey interviews with more than 24,000 people since December 2020.