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Nearly half (45%) of adults across the country say that worry and stress related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are hurting their mental health, an early sign that the health and economic crises is likely to increase mental health problems and further stretch the system’s capacity.
KFF/EHF Survey Examines Residents’ Experiences and Views in 24 Hard-Hit Counties across Texas Two-thirds (66%) of residents across 24 Texas counties report that they suffered property damage, employment disruptions and/or lost income due to Hurricane Harvey, finds a new Kaiser Family Foundation/Episcopal Health Foundation survey.
To understand the needs and circumstances of vulnerable Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Episcopal Health Foundation partnered to conduct a survey of adults in 24 coastal Texas counties hard-hit by the storm, along with 5 focus groups in Houston and Beaumont. The survey finds residents’ top needs in recovering from the disaster focus on housing and financial issues, while some also struggle with access to health care and mental health issues resulting from the storm. Black and Hispanic residents and those with lower incomes are more likely to report being affected by Harvey-related property damage and employment issues. The survey also probes residents’ views on the local, state, and federal governments’ response to the storm, as well as the priorities they see for the rebuilding moving forward.
This brief examines family budgets of Medicaid enrollees, how health care costs fit into these budgets, and views on how potential changes to health care could affect them based on 21 interviews with Medicaid enrollees in five cities.
A new Kaiser Family Foundation brief and interactive map provide the latest national and state-level estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau of the share and number of people ages 65 and older who are living in poverty.
This issue brief provides an overview of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit plan landscape, with a focus on stand-alone drug plans, the largest segment of the Part D market. It includes national and state-level data on plan availability, premiums, benefit design, cost sharing, information about premium-free plans for low-income beneficiaries, and information about the top ten Part D plans for 2019.
To date, Minnesota and New York are the only states to have adopted a Basic Health Program (BHP), an option in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that permits state-administered coverage in lieu of marketplace coverage for those with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL) who would otherwise qualify for marketplace subsidies. BHP covers adults with incomes between 138-200% of FPL and lawfully present non-citizens with incomes below 138% FPL whose immigration status makes them ineligible for Medicaid. This brief reviews Minnesota’s and New York’s approaches to BHP and assesses BHP’s impact on consumers, marketplaces, and state costs. Although there is uncertainty around the future of the ACA (including BHP) following the 2016 election, BHP implementation offers important lessons for consideration in future reforms about structuring coverage programs for low-income uninsured consumers.
The Medicaid program covers 74 million low-income Americans, including many of the poorest and sickest people in our society. Among those served are pregnant women and children, parents and other adults, poor seniors, and people with disabilities. Given Medicaid’s major coverage role and the complex needs of the populations it covers, data and evidence on access to care and health outcomes in Medicaid are of key interest. Such an assessment is also important to ensure that debate about the effectiveness of the Medicaid program is grounded in facts and analysis. This Data Note discusses what the research shows.
Policymakers are currently considering proposals that would fundamentally change the structure and financing of Medicaid, and potentially affect 11 million people on Medicare. This brief discusses the potential implications of Medicaid per capita cap or block grant proposals for the 11 million low-income seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare. It also describes how the per capita cap model proposed in the American Health Care Act could potentially affect low-income people on Medicare who receive assistance from Medicaid.
The Medicare Part D program provides an outpatient prescription drug benefit to older adults and people with long-term disabilities in Medicare who enroll in private plans. This analysis provides the latest data about Medicare Part D coverage and costs in 2019 and trends over time, including enrollment, premiums, cost sharing, and participation in the low-income subsidy program.
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