881-890 of 3,652 results

  • Will Insurance Cover Over-the-Counter Contraceptive Pills? A Discussion of Coverage Options and Challenges

    Event Date:
    Event

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved Opill—the first over-the-counter daily oral contraceptive pill in the United States. Beginning in early 2024, people will be able to purchase Opill without a prescription, expanding options for contraceptive access across the country. On September 15, 2023, a panel of experts joined Laurie Sobel, associate director for KFF’s Women’s Health Policy program, to explore approaches to covering over-the-counter oral contraception without a prescription. The panel discussed lessons…

  • Emergency Abortion Care to Preserve the Health of Pregnant People: SCOTUS, EMTALA, and Beyond

    Policy Watch

    This policy watch outlines SCOTUS' June 27, 2024, decision dismissing the case, Moyle v. United States, where the Court had been asked to determine if a federal law called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act preempted Idaho's abortion ban. The decision returns the case to the lower courts and reinstates a court order blocking enforcement of the Idaho ban where it prohibits abortion care for pregnant people having medical emergencies.

  • 10 Things to Know About the Unwinding of the Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Provision

    Issue Brief

    Medicaid enrollment increased since the start of the pandemic, primarily due to the continuous enrollment provision.KFF estimates that between 8 million and 24 million people will lose Medicaid coverage during the unwinding of the continuous enrollment provision.The Medicaid continuous enrollment provision stopped “churn” among Medicaid enrollees.States approaches to unwinding the continuous enrollment provision vary.Maximizing streamlined renewal processes can promote continuity of coverage as states unwind the continuous enrollment provision.States have obtained temporary waivers to pursue…

  • How HHS, FDA, and CDC Can Influence U.S. Vaccine Policy

    Policy Watch

    This policy brief highlights areas in which HHS, FDA, and CDC have authority to shape U.S. vaccine policy with a specific focus on vaccine approvals and recommendations for the public. Ultimately, while there are limits, federal officials have significant authority to influence and alter vaccine policy, which could affect vaccine availability, views about vaccines, and vaccine use in the U.S. However, this does not include imposing mandates on or changing local vaccination requirements, as those…

  • As Congress Considers Reauthorization of PEPFAR, KFF Examines the Role of Abortion

    News Release

    As Congress considers reauthorization of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for a fourth time, KFF explores the debate over abortion policy that has stalled the legislation and the potential implications if Congress does not reauthorize the program. PEPFAR spans more than 50 countries and has been reported to have saved 25 million lives since President George W. Bush created it in 2003. Funding for the program in FY 2023 was $6.9 billion,…

  • 5 Key Facts about Medicaid’s Share of National Health Spending

    Issue Brief

    To provide historical context for how changes to Medicaid spending may impact national health spending trends, this brief explores how Medicaid spending contributes to national health spending and how different service areas contribute to Medicaid costs.

  • How Much Do People with Medicare Pay for Coverage?

    Issue Brief

    While Medicare covers a wide range of health care services, Medicare beneficiaries generally pay out-of-pocket for their monthly premiums, deductibles, and cost sharing for Medicare covered services. This brief provides an overview of the costs faced by Medicare beneficiaries in traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Part D, including premiums, deductibles, copays, and coinsurance, focusing on costs in 2026.

  • Medicare Advantage Insurers Made Nearly 53 Million Prior Authorization Determinations in 2024

    Issue Brief

    Nearly 53 million prior authorization requests were submitted to Medicare Advantage insurers on behalf of Medicare Advantage enrollees in 2024, of which 4.1 million (7.7%) were denied. Just 11.5% of denied requests were appealed, though 80.7% of appeals overturned the initial denial in Medicare Advantage. Substantially fewer prior authorization requests were made in traditional Medicare, reflecting the small number of services subject to prior authorization requirements.