Implications for Ending the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency April 21, 2022 Page The end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) will have numerous implications for the many policies that were temporarily waived or modified to help respond to the pandemic. This page includes key KFF resources examining how the eventual expiration of the PHE will affect the health care system. 10…
Tracking Social Determinants of Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic April 21, 2022 Issue Brief This brief provides an overview of social determinants of health and a look at how adults are faring across an array of measures throughout the pandemic.
A Look at Key Maternal and Infant Health Disparities Among Black People April 15, 2022 Slide Due to systemic and overt discrimination, Black people are disproportionately affected by high maternal and infant morbidities and mortality. In addition to legislation, addressing systemic discrimination, implicit bias and racism will be integral to achieving equity in maternal health outcomes.
Nursing Facility Staffing Shortages During the COVID-19 Pandemic April 4, 2022 Issue Brief This data note presents the most recent national and state-level data on nursing facility-reported staff shortages and describes the Biden Administration’s new policy initiatives to address staffing and other quality issues in nursing facilities.
Many Privately Insured People with Diabetes Could Save Money if Congress Caps Insulin Costs March 24, 2022 News Release Several legislative proposals in Congress propose a $35 per month cap on what people with health insurance would have to pay out of pocket for insulin, a life-saving hormone taken regularly by many people with diabetes to maintain their health. Such a cap could provide financial relief to at least…
States Are Planning for the End of the Continuous Enrollment Requirement in Medicaid After the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Expires, But Many Have Not Made Key Decisions March 16, 2022 News Release As states plan for the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the resumption of eligibility redeterminations and disenrollments when the continuous Medicaid enrollment requirement is lifted could lead to coverage disruptions and losses, according to a new KFF 50-state survey. The requirement, a condition of states receiving enhanced federal…
Medicare Part B Drugs: Cost Implications for Beneficiaries in Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage March 15, 2022 Issue Brief In the face of rising prescription drug costs, a large majority of the public supports federal efforts to lower drug spending. Policymakers are considering several proposals that would lower prescription drug costs. To better understand the potential out-of-pocket cost exposure that Medicare beneficiaries may face for Part B drugs, which are typically administered by physicians and other health care providers, we analyzed cost-sharing liability for these drugs in traditional Medicare and cost-sharing requirements in Medicare Advantage plans.
Combined Federal and State Spending on Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Totaled $116 billion in FY 2020, Serving Millions of Elderly Adults and People with Disabilities March 4, 2022 News Release The federal government and the states together spent a total of $116 billion on Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) in FY 2020, serving millions of elderly adults and people with disabilities, a new KFF analysis finds. Medicaid is the nation’s primary payer for such services, which include assistive technology,…
Without Build Back Better, Will the End of the Public Health Emergency Leave Even More People Uninsured? March 2, 2022 Blog Continuous enrollment in Medicaid and enhanced premium assistance have helped millions afford and maintain coverage, but those gains could be reversed as the public emergency ends and if the provisions like those in the Build Back Better Act fail to pass.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Recession on Medicaid Coverage and Spending March 1, 2022 Issue Brief Unlike previous recessions in modern history, this past recession was spurred by the spread of a virus (COVID-19), which created a public health crisis with unique health implications. This brief describes the broader impacts of this most recent recession – which lasted from February 2020 to April 2020 — and also explores how trends in Medicaid spending and enrollment differed from past recessions and what that might mean for state Medicaid programs moving forward.