Disability - Research and Data from KFF

KFF/ESPN Survey of 1988 NFL Players Finds the Vast Majority Say Pro Football Left Them With a Range of Serious Health Problems, but Most Would Play Again and Encourage Their Kids To Play

Aug 15, 2025

News Release

KFF and ESPN today jointly released a first-of-its-kind, in-depth polling and reporting project that sheds new light on the health issues and other challenges facing NFL players after they leave the game. The KFF/ESPN Survey of 1988 NFL Players draws on a novel survey of 546 respondents who were among the 1,532 players from the 1988 season. Now, at an average age of 62, large majorities of these former NFL players say pro football was bad…

KFF/ESPN Survey of 1988 NFL Players

Aug 15, 2025

Poll Finding

The Survey of 1988 NFL players, conducted by KFF in partnership with ESPN, looks at the overall health and well-being of former professional football players who played in the 1988 NFL season. While many are grappling with the immense toll the sport has taken on their physical and neurological health, most say they would do it all over again.

Different Data Source, But Same Results: Most Adults Subject to Medicaid Work Requirements Are Working or Face Barriers to Work

Jun 25, 2025

Issue Brief

To understand the impact of Medicaid work requirements included in the budget reconciliation bill being debated in Congress, KFF has undertaken two different analyses using different data sources. Using 2023 data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, this analysis looks at the share of adults who work at least 80 hours per month, the reasons some do not, and how consistently individuals meet the requirement over a six-month period.

Utilization of Health Care Services by Medicaid Expansion Status

May 28, 2025

Issue Brief

Some critics of Medicaid expansion have argued that expansion diverts resources away from other groups of Medicaid enrollees, including people with disabilities and children, and that expansion enrollees are “able-bodied” implying they have minimal health care needs. However, data show that expansion states spend more per enrollee overall and on each eligibility group than non-expansion states and that nearly half of expansion enrollees have a chronic condition. This data note analyzes 2021 Medicaid claims data…

On Medicaid Expansion, History Matters

May 9, 2025

From Drew Altman

In his latest column, KFF President and CEO Drew Altman discusses the history of the battles over the ACA’s provisions that were designed to expand coverage for the uninsured, which helps explain the effort to cut federal funding for the Medicaid expansion today. The real underlying issues, he says, are the same divisions that have always plagued the debate about covering the uninsured.

5 Key Facts About Children with Special Health Care Needs and Medicaid

Apr 18, 2025

Issue Brief

Amid debates about proposed cuts to federal Medicaid spending, this brief analyzes key characteristics of children with special health care needs and explores how Medicaid provides them with coverage.

Medicaid Eligibility Levels for Older Adults and People with Disabilities (Non-MAGI) in 2025

Apr 7, 2025

Issue Brief

KFF’s Survey of Medicaid Financial Eligibility for Older Adults & People with Disabilities, conducted in March 2025 by KFF and Watts Health Policy Consulting, provides a baseline of Medicaid eligibility as states return to normal operations after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and ahead of potential changes to the Medicaid program.

Women’s Experiences with Preventive and Health Care Services: Findings from the 2024 KFF Women’s Health Survey

Mar 12, 2025

Issue Brief

This data note presents findings from the KFF Women’s Health Survey on women’s health status, access to health care services, and use of preventive health services.

A Closer Look at Negative Interactions Experienced by Women in Health Settings: Findings from the 2024 KFF Women’s Health Survey

Mar 12, 2025

Issue Brief

This data note presents findings from the 2024 KFF Women’s Health Survey on women’s experiences with disrespectful and unfair treatment as well as negative interactions with providers during health care visits in the past two years.

Workforce Reductions at Social Security Could Affect Medicare and Medicaid Coverage

Mar 3, 2025

Quick Take

How these new workforce reductions at the Social Security Administration will affect people is unknown but could make it harder for people to get connected to benefits they might qualify for…which would in turn affect access to health insurance coverage through Medicare and Medicaid.

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