Medicaid: What to Watch in 2025
In 2025, many issues are at play that could affect Medicaid coverage, financing, and access to care.
View the Latest: Long-Term Care
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How Many People Use Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports and How Much Does Medicaid Spend on Those People?
Issue BriefKFF examines how many Medicaid enrollees used Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) for aging, illness, or disability in 2020, how much Medicaid spent on these enrollees, and policy issues to watch in the coming years.
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A Closer Look at the Final Nursing Facility Rule and Which Facilities Might Meet New Staffing Requirements
Issue BriefThis analysis discusses the provisions of the final rule, including changes made by the Administration from the proposed rule, and examines the percentage and characteristics of nursing facilities that currently meet the minimum staffing requirements in the final rule, which takes effect beginning in May 2026 for some facilities.
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Experiences of Direct Care Workers and Family Caregivers of Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS)
Issue BriefThis issue brief presents findings from the focus groups including caregiver characteristics; physical, emotional, and mental caregiving demands of caregiving; their wages, finances, and opportunities for advancement; and what caregivers would like policymakers to know about their work.
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State Actions to Address Nursing Home Staffing During COVID-19
Issue BriefThis issue brief summarizes federal and state standards related to nursing home staffing prior to COVID-19 and builds on existing information by identifying changes to state minimum staffing requirements adopted since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examine state legislative and regulatory actions since the onset of the pandemic that directly affect worker wages and training requirements.
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Ongoing Impacts of the Pandemic on Medicaid Home & Community-Based Services (HCBS) Programs: Findings from a 50-State Survey
Issue BriefThis issue brief presents the latest findings on key state policy choices about Medicaid HCBS in 2022 based on the 20th KFF survey of state officials administering Medicaid HCBS programs in all 50 states and DC. The data were collected from April through September 2022. The survey was sent to each state official responsible for overseeing the administration of HCBS benefits (e.g., home health, personal care, and services for specific populations such as people with physical disabilities), but some states submitted responses for the state overall.
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What is Medicaid Estate Recovery?
Issue BriefUnder estate recovery, state Medicaid programs are required to recover the costs of long-term care and related hospital and prescription drug services for enrollees ages 55 and older. KFF examines the wide variation in estate recovery practices across states as well as the criticisms of this policy, which have led to federal proposals to modify or reduce it.
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What is Medicaid Home Care (HCBS)?
Issue BriefThis issue brief provides an overview of what Medicaid home care (also known as “home- and community-based services” or HCBS) is, who is covered, and what services were available in 2024.
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COVID-19 Issues and Medicaid Policy Options for People Who Need Long-Term Services and Supports
Issue BriefThis issue brief provides state-level data on long-term services and supports (LTSS) users by setting, discusses the unique challenges that LTSS users will face in light of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. It presents federal and state policy options, and explores Medicaid’s role as the primary LTSS payer in the U.S..
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Medicaid at 50
ReportThe Medicaid program, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 30, 1965, will reach its 50th anniversary this year, a historic milestone. This report reflects on Medicaid’s accomplishments and challenges and considers the issues on the horizon that will influence the course of this major health coverage and financing program moving forward.