As Pandemic-Era Policies End, Medicaid Programs Focus on Enrollee Access and Reducing Health Disparities Amid Future Uncertainties: Results from an Annual Medicaid Budget Survey for State Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025 October 23, 2024 Report This report highlights certain policies in place in state Medicaid programs in FY 2024 and policy changes implemented or planned for FY 2025, which began on July 1, 2024 for most states.
Poll: By a Wide Margin, Democratic Voters Now Care More About the Affordable Care Act Than Republican Voters Do, And Voters Trust Democrats More Than Republicans to Handle Its Future December 1, 2023 News Release The future of the Affordable Care Act, an issue that was once a key health care issue for Republican voters, is now more important to Democratic voters, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. About half (49%) of voters say it is a “very important” issue for the candidates to…
Harris is Reframing Health as an Economic Issue August 21, 2024 From Drew Altman In his latest column, KFF President and CEO Drew Altman describes how Vice President Harris has reframed health as a pocketbook economic issue, which aligns with voters’ concern about health care costs.
Nearly 7 in 10 Medicare Beneficiaries Did Not Compare Plans During Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period September 26, 2024 Issue Brief This brief examines the share of Medicare beneficiaries who reviewed their coverage and compared plans during the open enrollment period for 2022 (that takes place in the Fall of 2021), and who made use of Medicare’s official information resources, as well as variations by demographic groups. Overall, nearly 7 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries did not compare their own source of Medicare coverage with other Medicare options offered in their area.
Medicare Part D Premiums Are Increasing for Many But Not All Stand-Alone Plans in 2025, Reflecting Effects of New Premium Stabilization Demonstration October 3, 2024 Blog This policy watch examines monthly premiums for Medicare Part D stand-alone drug plans in 2025, as changes to the Part D benefit are being implemented in 2025, including a new $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket drug spending.
The Effect of Delaying the Selection of Small Molecule Drugs for Medicare Drug Price Negotiation April 16, 2025 Blog In a new Trump administration executive order, the Secretary of HHS is directed to work with Congress to implement a change in law to delay negotiation of so-called “small molecule” drugs under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program for an additional 4 years. This brief analyzes how many of the drugs previously selected for negotiation would not have been eligible if this policy had been in place at the time.
Coverage of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Medicare April 30, 2024 Issue Brief This brief describes Medicare coverage of sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception, and compares that coverage with private insurance plans and Medicaid. These benefits are particularly relevant to nearly 1 million women of reproductive age (20-49) who are eligible for Medicare due to having a long-term disability.
Over-the-Counter Oral Contraceptive Pills September 27, 2024 Issue Brief Oral contraceptives are the most commonly used method of reversible contraception in the U.S. In July 2023, the FDA approved Opill, the first daily oral contraceptive pill to become available over the counter (OTC) without a doctor’s prescription. This issue brief provides an overview of OTC oral contraceptives and laws and policies related to insurance coverage.
KFF Examines Challenges in Navigating Coverage for Opill, the First Over-the-Counter Daily Oral Contraceptive Pill, Coming to Market Next Year September 14, 2023 News Release As Opill—the first over-the-counter daily oral contraceptive pill in the United States—is expected to be available for purchase in early 2024, new research conducted by KFF examines barriers to its accessibility for consumers and challenges in providing insurance coverage for it. Based on interviews with nearly 80 representatives from private…