Affordability


A promotional image for the the KFF Health Policy 101 Health Care Costs and Affordability chapter

Health Policy 101 is a comprehensive guide covering fundamental aspects of U.S. health policy and programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, employer-sponsored insurance, the uninsured population, health care costs and affordability, women's health issues, and health care politics. The Health Care Costs and Affordability chapter explores trends in health care costs in the U.S. and the factors that contribute to this spending. It also examines how health care spending varies across the population, the impact of costs on care affordability and individuals' overall financial vulnerability.

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  • The Biggest Health Issue We Aren’t Debating

    From Drew Altman

    In an Axios column, Drew Altman raises a health care issue that isn’t being debated, a large share of the public don’t have the assets to cover the cost sharing in their health plan if they get sick.

  • Gaps in Coverage Among People With Pre-Existing Conditions

    Issue Brief

    The American Health Care Act (AHCA), which has passed the House of Representatives, contains a controversial provision that would allow states to waive community rating in the individual insurance market. In this brief we estimate the number of people with pre-existing conditions who might be affected by such a policy.

  • How ACA Repeal and Replace Proposals Could Affect Coverage and Premiums for Older Adults and Have Spillover Effects for Medicare

    Issue Brief

    This brief explains the key AHCA provisions that would reshape the private market to more closely resemble the pre-Affordable Care Act period, and the effects of these changes on adults ages 50-64. The brief also discusses how changes to Medicaid could affect older, low-income adults, and how an increase in the number of uninsured older adults could have implications for the Medicare program in the future.

  • Tax Subsidies for Private Health Insurance

    Issue Brief

    This brief describes the different forms of tax assistance for private health insurance, including subsidies offered through the Affordable Care Act's marketplaces and benefits for people who are self-employed or who have employer-based coverage. The brief also provides examples of how the subsidies work and how the amounts may differ by income and type of coverage.

  • The Impact of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP): What Does the Research Tell Us?

    Issue Brief

    The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was established in 1997 to provide coverage for uninsured children who are low-income but above the threshold for Medicaid eligibility. In 2009, and again in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Congress extended federal funding for CHIP, but funding will expire a little over a year from now. Decisions about CHIP’s future funding will be consequential as more than 8 million low-income children were covered by CHIP at some point during 2012. To help inform the policy debate about CHIP, this brief reviews key data and evidence from the large body of research on the impact of children’s coverage.

  • Essential Health Benefits: Balancing Affordability and Adequacy

    Event Date:
    Event

    Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), insurance plans offered through state insurance exchanges as well as non-grandfathered plans offered in the individual and small group markets - will be required to cover a set of health benefits and services called the "essential health benefits" package.

  • The Health Care Priorities and Experiences of California Residents

    Report

    This survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and California Health Care Foundation gauges California residents’ views on health care priorities facing the state’s new governor and legislature, including health care affordability, access to care, mental health and substance use treatment, and provider shortages. It also highlights Californians’ experiences in the health care system, as well as views on the Affordable Care Act, Covered California, Medi-Cal, and proposals to advance a single-payer health insurance system in the state.