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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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On Monday, April 7, Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in the US District Court for Northern Texas ruled to overturn key elements of a Biden administration rule that established the first-ever minimum staffing ratios for nursing facilities.
On Friday, Feb. 7, KFF hosted a conversation with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee about their states’ efforts to establish a public health insurance option and make other changes to address health costs and access. The two governors have made health reforms a key part of their agendas and are seeking to expand access to affordable coverage for their residents through a public option – an approach that some national…
This policy watch explores the potential implications of ending the PHE for Medicaid HCBS programs.
This report features nine seniors and people with disabilities living in Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Tennessee, who rely on home and community-based services (HCBS). These profiles illustrate how beneficiaries’ finances, employment status, relationships, well-being, independence, and ability to interact with the communities in which they live---in addition to their health care---are affected by their Medicaid coverage and the essential role of HCBS in their daily lives.
This issue brief discusses four key issues related to long-term services and supports (LTSS) including institutional and home and community-based services (HCBS) quality, highlighting major legislative and policy changes over the last 30 years since the passage of the Nursing Home Reform Act.
The U.S. Supreme Court's Olmstead Decision: Five Years Later Five years after the Supreme Court’s landmark Olmstead decision applying the Americans with Disabilities Act to the right of individuals with disabilities to receive health care in a community-based setting, the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured releases two new reports and a video examining what progress has been made and the impact on the Medicaid program. Policy Brief - Olmstead v. L.C.: The Interaction…
A Special Series The Kaiser Family Foundation and ABC/WCVB Local TV News Initiative: Caring For An Elderly Relative Growing numbers of families today are struggling with the challenges of getting and paying for long-term care for elderly relatives. As the population ages and more women enter the workforce, the problems of caring for elderly relatives will only worsen. There are 1.6 million elderly residents in nursing homes today, but long-term care issues touch millions more…
This issue brief examines the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program, a component of the health reform law that establishes a national, voluntary insurance program for purchasing community living services and supports that is designed to expand options for people who become functionally disabled and require long-term help. This brief describes the major components of the CLASS program including its financing, eligibility criteria, benefit design and interaction with Medicaid. Issue Brief (.pdf)
People with disabilities are at risk in the health-care system because of their wide-ranging health-care needs, their relatively heavy use of prescription drugs, health-care and support services, and typically low incomes. A new survey of people with permanent mental and/or physical disabilities explores their health-care experiences and challenges in accessing and paying for care. Report Chartpack Health Affairs Article-- "Uncovering the Health Challenges Facing People with Disabilities: The Role of Health Insurance"
Maryland’s Money Follows the Person (MFP) demonstration continues to lead the state’s Medicaid long-term services and supports rebalancing efforts. This case study describes key features of Maryland’s MFP demonstration and highlights recent program experiences.
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