The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
KFF’s policy research provides facts and analysis on a wide range of policy issues and public programs.
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.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the organization’s core operating programs.
Health Insurance Premiums and Cost-Sharing: Findings from the Research on Low-Income Populations This policy brief reviews studies on the impact of premiums and cost-sharing, particularly on low-income populations, and finds that premiums generally depressed participation in public programs and cost-sharing affected health utilization, access and outcomes. Policy Brief
This report, Managed Care and Low-Income Populations in Texas: 1996-1998 Update, updates our 1996 case study of Texas' Medicaid managed care initiatives and their affect on low-income populations. The authors conclude that Medicaid managed care in Texas has had mixed results. It is one of a series of reports from the Kaiser/ Commonwealth Low-Income Coverage and Access Project. This project examines how changes in the Medicaid program have affected health insurance coverage and access to…
Medicaid Programs to Assist Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries: Medicare Savings Programs Case Study Findings This report summarizes the findings of a five state case study examining their actions to bolster enrollment in their Medicare Savings Programs for Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for Medicaid assistance with their premiums and co-insurance. Background Paper
Diane Rowland, executive director of the Commission, testified to the Senate Committee on Finance about the low-income uninsured. The testimony provides a comprehensive description and analysis of the population and discusses the challenges of providing them health coverage. Please note: the video is no longer available. If you have an urgent need for the video, you may contact us (choose “problem with video” on the form) and we will try to locate the video. Include the…
Summarizes the number of uninsured individuals in rural America, who they are, and the barriers to coverage they experience. Fact Sheet
As Congress looks for ways to increase access to health care, existing programs such as Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program are often overlooked. Yet enrolling those who are eligible for such programs is one of the easiest ways to expand coverage. This briefing, co-sponsored by Alliance for Health Reform and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), looked at ways to streamline recruitment and enrollment, while exploring how expanding Medicaid and CHIP…
Medicaid is the health insurance safety net for nearly 60 million of the nation's poorest and sickest individuals. It provides access to a comprehensive scope of benefits with limited cost-sharing that is geared to meet the health needs and limited resources of the low-income, high-need populations it serves, populations for whom private coverage is often not available, not affordable or inadequate. This paper, based on years of research and analysis from the Kaiser Commission on…
A Video The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured's video profiles five families who have children covered by Medicaid. These five families reflect the diversity of those helped by Medicaid -- families from all over the country of varying races/ethnicities, ages and sizes. Each family also illustrates a particular health care need and shows how Medicaid assists in obtaining needed health care services. Also available in Low Speed. (8 min.) Brochure To order a…
Express Lane Eligibility (ELE) is a new tool available to states to streamline enrollment and renewal of children in Medicaid and CHIP. It allows state Medicaid and CHIP agencies to utilize data and eligibility findings from other public need-based programs, such as Head Start or Food Stamps, and/or tax return data to identify, enroll and recertify children rather than requiring them to re-analyze and determine eligibility under their own rules. A primary goal of this…
A new report describes the Report to Congress by the Department of Health and Human Services on consumer protection and quality assurance requirements for Medicaid managed care and discusses the differences between the original Federal rule and the revised one. Report Executive Summary
© 2026 KFF