After Pandemic-Era Policies and Enhanced Funding End, State Medicaid Officials Report Enrollment Declines and Upward Cost Pressures October 23, 2024 News Release States expect national Medicaid enrollment to decline by about 4% and state Medicaid spending to rise by 7% in fiscal year (FY) 2025. These rates follow a larger but anticipated enrollment decline and state spending increase in FY 2024, as pandemic-era policies and federal funding expired, according to KFF’s 24th…
KFF Revisits Women Voters Previously Surveyed in June and Finds Significant Shifts in VP Harris’ Favor Across a Range of Key Election Issues October 11, 2024 News Release In a special follow-up poll of the same women voters who were previously interviewed in June (before President Biden announced he wouldn’t run for reelection), KFF finds substantial shifts in favor of Vice President Harris across a range of key election issues, including the handling of rising household and health…
Annual Family Premiums for Employer Coverage Rise 7% to Average $25,572 in 2024, Benchmark Survey Finds, After Also Rising 7% Last Year October 9, 2024 News Release Family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose 7% this year to reach an average of $25,572 annually, KFF’s 2024 benchmark Employer Health Survey finds. On average, workers contribute $6,296 annually to the cost of family coverage. This marks the second year in a row that premiums are up 7%.…
Nearly Half of Metro Areas Have Only One or Two Hospitals or Health Systems Providing Inpatient Care October 1, 2024 News Release Nearly half (47%) of metropolitan areas across the country had only one or two hospitals or health systems providing general inpatient hospital care in 2022, a new KFF analysis finds.The analysis examines the extent of competition among hospitals amid a wave of hospital consolidation that has drawn the attention of…
Nearly 7 in 10 Medicare Beneficiaries Do Not Compare Coverage Options During Open Enrollment September 26, 2024 News Release With open enrollment less than a month away, a new KFF analysis suggests that the vast majority of the nation’s 67 million Medicare beneficiaries will not shop around among the coverage options for 2025 or switch plans. It’s a decision that could have a significant impact on enrollees’ coverage and…
Poll: As the Election Approaches, Most of the Public Say They Have Heard False Claims about Immigrants September 24, 2024 News Release With immigration and border security getting attention heading into November’s elections, a large majority of the public reports hearing false claims about immigrants from candidates or elected officials, and many immigrants say the rhetoric is negatively affecting how they are treated, a new KFF Health Misinformation Tracking Poll finds. Fielded…
As Medicaid Unwinding Concludes in Most States, KFF Finds 25 Million Lost Medicaid Coverage but Enrollment is 10 Million Higher Than Pre-Pandemic Levels September 18, 2024 News Release Over 25 million people were disenrolled from Medicaid and over 56 million had their coverage renewed, according to KFF’s analysis of the outcomes of the Medicaid unwinding, which nearly all states have now completed.
Allowing Medicare to Negotiate Drug Prices Remains Broadly Popular Among Voters, Though Most Are Unaware of the Law and Its Projected Savings September 13, 2024 News Release Allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices on behalf of older Americans remains broadly popular across partisans, though many voters are unaware of the new law and the billions of dollars it is expected to save in 2026, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds.A large majority (85%) of voters say…
A Growing Share of Voters See the Election as a Referendum on Abortion Access; Vice President Harris Holds a Strong Advantage on the Issue September 10, 2024 News Release Most voters (61%) now say that the outcome of this year’s presidential election will have a major impact on access to abortion in this country – up 10 percentage points from March, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. The shift has occurred mainly among Democratic and independent voters over…
KFF Analysis Finds Physician Networks in ACA Marketplace Plans Vary Widely, and Enrollees Typically Pay More in Premiums to Access Broader Networks August 26, 2024 News Release A KFF analysis of physician networks in the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplace plans finds wide variations in the share of local practicing physicians who participate, with the least costly plans generally having a smaller share of physicians than more expensive plans. The analysis examines the breadth of physician networks listed…