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KFF designs, conducts and analyzes original public opinion and survey research on Americans’ attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with the health care system to help amplify the public’s voice in major national debates.
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This brief explores the problem of "surprise medical bills" -- charges arising when an insured individual inadvertently receives care from an out-of-network provider. It reviews studies on the extent of the issue, including Kaiser Family Foundation polling data, and outlines state and federal policy responses, including rules and proposed rules for Medicare and plans in Affordable Care Act marketplaces.
In this column for The Wall Street Journal's Think Tank, Drew Altman discusses surprise bills for out-of-network care, and New York state's solution to the problem.
The Medicare open enrollment period allows enrollees to compare plans, stick with their current plan, switch to another plan, or shift to traditional Medicare. This analysis examines the extent to which Medicare Advantage enrollees change plans when given the opportunity. It also analyzes the variation in the rate of plan switching by enrollee and plan characteristics and whether people who voluntarily switch plans tend to move to plans with lower premiums, lower out-of-pocket limits, or…
This issue brief compares President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden on their records, actions and proposals related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes a general overview of their respective approaches, followed by a detailed side-by-side.
Few issues are likely to matter as much to voters in November’s presidential election as President Trump’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis, which have left almost 200,000 Americans dead and prompted job layoffs and furloughs affecting tens of millions of Americans. A new election brief compares President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden on their records, actions and proposals related to the pandemic and its health and economic consequences, including a…
This annual Employer Health Benefits Survey (EHBS) provides a detailed look at trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, including premiums, employee contributions, cost-sharing provisions, and other relevant information. The 2015 EHBS survey finds average family health premiums rose 4 percent in 2015, relatively modest growth by historical standards.
This blog is an overview of the outstanding questions related to the $100 billion for hospitals and other providers in the CARES Act and whether there will be meaningful protections for the uninsured and people with private coverage who could face surprise bills.
A new brief explains the implications of the most recent legal challenge contesting the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) requirement that most private insurance plans cover specific preventive care items and services—such as contraceptive services and supplies, and cancer screenings—at no cost to patients. In Braidwood Management v. Becerra, two Christian-owned businesses and six individuals in Texas have challenged the legality of the preventive care mandates on constitutional grounds. The plaintiffs are also challenging the requirement…
In this commentary for Barron's, KFF's Cynthia Cox and Jennifer Kates explore what will happen with costs to COVID-19 vaccines for people with and without insurance once the relevant public health emergency ends on May 11.
This report presents findings from the 2022 KFF Women’s Health Survey (WHS) on women’s health status, use of health care services, and costs. The WHS is a nationally representative survey of 5,145 self-identified women ages 18 to 64, conducted May 10 - June 7, 2022.
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