The Availability and Use of Medication Abortion March 20, 2024 Fact Sheet This factsheet provides an overview of medication abortion, with a focus on federal and state regulations pertaining to its provision and coverage, and the role of the drug in self-managed abortions.
The Proliferation of State Actions Limiting Youth Access to Gender Affirming Care January 31, 2024 Blog Over the past 18 months, there has been a rapid increase in the number of states that have enacted laws and other policies that prohibit or restrict minor access to gender affirming care. This policy watch summarizes state policy developments aimed at restricting minor access to gender affirming care as well as the litigation challenging it. as of January 30, 2024.
How Present-Day Health Disparities for Black People Are Linked to Past Policies and Events February 22, 2024 Issue Brief This brief examines how past policies and events are linked to present-day disparities among Black people in health and health care.
How History Has Shaped Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: A Timeline of Policies and Events January 11, 2024 Page This timeline offers a historical view of significant U.S. federal policies and events spanning the early 1800s to today that have influenced present-day health disparities. It covers policies that directly impacted health coverage and access to care, relevant events in medicine, social and economic policies and developments that influence health, and efforts to tackle inequalities.
Preventive Services Covered by Private Health Plans under the Affordable Care Act February 28, 2024 Fact Sheet Note: This content was updated on February 28, 2024 to incorporate new FAQs from CMS. Tables 1 and 2 were also updated to include updated recommendations. It has been more than ten years since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) required private insurance plans to cover recommended preventive services without any…
Coverage of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Medicare April 30, 2024 Issue Brief This brief describes Medicare coverage of sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception, and compares that coverage with private insurance plans and Medicaid. These benefits are particularly relevant to nearly 1 million women of reproductive age (20-49) who are eligible for Medicare due to having a long-term disability.
Who Decides When a Patient Qualifies for an Abortion Ban Exception? Doctors vs. the Courts December 14, 2023 News Release Earlier this week, the Texas Supreme Court overturned a lower court order that would have allowed a Texas woman—who was more than 20 weeks pregnant carrying a fetus diagnosed with a fatal condition—to get an abortion in the state. The woman has reportedly travelled out of Texas to obtain an…
Who Decides When a Patient Qualifies for an Abortion Ban Exception? Doctors vs. the Courts December 14, 2023 Blog While all eyes were on Texas and the recent case of Kate Cox, a woman seeking a court order allowing her abortion under an exception to the Texas abortion ban, the conflict could have played out in many states. The risk to doctors is so high that many doctors are hesitant to provide life-saving abortion care unless the threat to life is imminent.
Year in Review: 10 Health Policy Issues for 2023 December 22, 2023 Fact Sheet This fact sheet offers a look back at 10 issues that KFF tracked closely during 2023 in its polling, policy analysis and journalism, including summaries of major findings and news stories.
A Look at Nursing Facility Characteristics Between 2015 and 2023 January 5, 2024 Issue Brief This data note examines the characteristics of nursing facilities and the people living in them with data from Nursing Home Compare, a publicly available dataset that provides a snapshot of information on quality of care in each nursing facility, and CASPER (Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports), a dataset that includes detailed metrics collected by surveyors during nursing facility inspections.