What resources are available for privately insured patients who get surprise balance bills? March 19, 2024 Issue Brief Most patients do not know about the new surprise billing protections and likely also do not know of resources available to seek recourse for incorrect medical bills. This brief provides resources to privately insured patients who receive surprise balance bills and also summarizes relevant policies and how they apply to balance billing.
1 in 8 Voters Say Abortion Is Most Important to Their Vote: They Lean Democratic, Support Biden, and Want Abortion to Be Legal March 7, 2024 News Release About 1 in 8 voters (12%) now say that abortion is the most important issue for their vote in the 2024 elections, highlighting how the issue could motivate groups of voters who largely say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds.…
The Comstock Act: Implications for Abortion Care Nationwide April 15, 2024 Issue Brief This brief provides background on the Comstock Act, reviews how it has been interpreted by the Biden Administration’s DOJ, and considers how it could be enforced by an administration that is hostile toward abortion to severely restrict the distribution of drugs and supplies used for abortion, with implications for abortion access in all states across the country.
What’s at Stake for Access to Medication Abortion and the FDA in the Supreme Court Case FDA v. the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine? March 21, 2024 Issue Brief The Supreme Court will be hearing oral arguments for the case FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine. This brief explains the issues at stake before the court and their implications for the drug regulatory process and medication abortion access throughout the country.
Upcoming SCOTUS Case Could Weaken the Impact of Regulation on Key Patient and Consumer Protections April 9, 2024 Issue Brief This brief discusses the longstanding legal doctrine, Chevron deference, being challenged in two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and includes examples of what could be at stake for health care consumers should federal courts no longer use this doctrine to address litigation related to federal health regulations. The focus here is on patient and consumer protection regulation, but overturning the Chevron deference would have implications in all areas of health care.
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.
Abortions Later in Pregnancy in a Post-Dobbs Era February 21, 2024 Issue Brief This brief explains why individuals may seek abortions later in pregnancy, how often these procedures occur, and the various laws which regulate access to abortions later in pregnancy across the country.
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.
The Role of Adult Children of Immigrants in the U.S. Health Care Workforce March 13, 2024 Issue Brief This brief examines key characteristics of adult children of immigrants and highlights their role in the workforce, including the health care workforce.
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.