Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: June 2013

As the country gears up for implementation of the major provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), June’s Kaiser Health Tracking Poll takes a step back and examines views on health insurance more broadly among some key subgroups, including young adults, the uninsured, and those with pre-existing conditions. The poll finds that the large majority of Americans want and value health insurance.

This Policy Insight explores possible explanations for the continued rise in Medicare Advantage enrollment between 2010 and 2013 in spite of a projected decrease following payment changes in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

This Pulling It Together was adapted from a column I published earlier this week in Politico, with a new introduction added. You can read the original Politico column here. The implementation of the ACA is news and the public will demand information about it. Journalists and news organizations have an obligation…

This study examines quality among health centers relative to Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs). Chronic care quality among health centers is high; gaps in women’s preventive care are a concern. Lower-performing health centers have very high uninsured and homeless rates. The expansion of Medicaid and private insurance under the ACA may foster gains in health center quality performance.

This brief highlights estimates from the Urban Institute’s ACS-HIPSM on the magnitude and composition of Medicaid enrollees and the uninsured after full implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including the Medicaid expansion. Both state and local level estimates highlight the geographic variation.

The Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) saved consumers an estimated $2.1 billion last year, in the form of lower premiums and rebates, according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Under health reform, insurers must issue consumer rebates if they fail to spend a certain portion of premium income on health care claims and quality improvement expenses, thereby limiting what they may spend on administrative expenses or keep as profits.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will significantly increase coverage options through an expansion of Medicaid and the creation of new health insurance exchange marketplaces. However, effective outreach and enrollment efforts will be key to ensuring that new coverage opportunities translate into increased coverage. Based on a review of existing research,…

This brief summarizes findings from 32 studies in 26 states analyzing the anticipated impact of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion (and in some cases full ACA implementation) on state and local economies.

There are numerous aspects of the Affordable Care Act that will be important for people with HIV in the U.S., — however, it is unlikely that these changes will address all the needs of people with HIV. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program will thus remain crucial for the provision of adequate health care to HIV-infected individuals, but it will need to change. Changes in the Ryan White Program’s role will depend largely on state decisions on Medicaid expansion and health care marketplaces. This article, published in the September/October issue of Topics in Antiviral Medicine, summarizes a presentation by Jennifer Kates of the Kaiser Family Foundation at the IAS–USA continuing education program held in New York, New York, in April 2013.

The October Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds the divided public’s opinion of the ACA remains similar to the previous month.