Access to Care - Research and Data from KFF

Poll: People View Prior Authorization as Greatest Burden in Navigating the Health System

Feb 2, 2026

News Release

New KFF polling explores the challenges beyond costs that people with insurance face in navigating the health care system. People cite prior authorization review as their top problem by a wide margin, with a third (32%) saying prior authorization requirements are a “major burden.” That’s more than say the same about understanding their bill or what they owe (23% say it is a major burden), getting appointments when they need them (20%), or finding providers…

KFF Health Tracking Poll: Prior Authorizations Rank as Public’s Biggest Burden When Getting Health Care

Feb 2, 2026

Poll Finding

KFF's health tracking poll finds that beyond costs, insured adults say prior authorization is their biggest challenges when accessing care. About seven in ten (69%) insured adults say prior authorizations are burdensome, and a third (34%) choose prior authorizations as their single biggest health care burden.

Percent of Children with a Medical Home

Jan 23, 2026

State Health Facts Indicator

Medicaid: What to Watch in 2026

Jan 23, 2026

Issue Brief

In this brief on Medicaid issues to watch for 2026, KFF explores how state fiscal pressures are likely to converge with the implementation of the 2025 reconciliation law to affect Medicaid coverage, financing, and access to care over the next year, especially leading up to the midterm elections.

Medicaid and Upcoming State Budget Debates

Jan 23, 2026

Issue Brief

This brief describes current state fiscal conditions as states begin fiscal year 2027 budget debates and highlights key areas to watch for Medicaid policy changes as states respond to fiscal challenges and the 2025 reconciliation law.

Health Care Providers Warn of Impacts of Increased ICE Presence at Health Care Facilities

Jan 22, 2026

Quick Insights

The presence of ICE at hospitals and health care facilities represents a reversal in policy under the Trump administration from previous policy that had protected against enforcement in these and other “sensitive locations” like schools and places of worship.

President Trump Proposes Codifying MFN Drug Pricing Deals But Key Details Are Missing

Jan 15, 2026

Quick Insights

While codifying most-favored-nation drug pricing could be helpful for bringing more transparency to these arrangements and guaranteeing that drug companies will deliver on what they’ve promised, policymakers would need substantially more information to turn these backroom voluntary deals into law.

Senators’ Questions About Mifepristone Could Further Spread Confusion About the Abortion Pill’s Safety Record

Jan 15, 2026

Quick Insights

By suggesting mifepristone poses a danger to women who use it, anti-abortion senators are likely to create more confusion that could further erode the public's confidence in the abortion pill despite its decades-long safety record.

Potential Implications of the New Medicaid Data Sharing Agreement Between CMS and ICE

Jan 14, 2026

Issue Brief

This issue brief provides an overview of a new data sharing agreement for CMS to share Medicaid data with ICE and its potential implications for health care access and data privacy.

New Trump Administration Proposals Would Further Limit Gender Affirming Care for Young People by Restricting Providers and Reducing Coverage

Dec 22, 2025

Issue Brief

This brief examines two proposed federal rules that would further restrict youth access to gender affirming care. One rule would change the hospital Conditions of Participation (CoPs) which would prohibit most Medicare and Medicaid enrolled hospitals from providing certain types of gender affirming medical care for young people and the other would prohibit federal Medicaid or CHIP funds from covering this care. The rules have a 60-day comment period, do no take immediate effect, and…

Topics

Policy Research

Polling

Health News

Data & Features

For Media

About

View the Latest: Access to Care

Filter