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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.
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This Monitor covers how fears about fluoride as a neurotoxin are impacting public health and how trust in food safety is eroding following the USDA's disbandment of two food safety panels. It also discusses approaches to addressing false information and the accuracy of AI chatbots compared to search engines.
This policy watch examines the impact of federal staff cuts and HHS restructuring on the nation's HIV response.
Funding from CDC has been a major source of support for public health programs across the U.S., but CDC is now being targeted for budget cuts by the Trump administration. To better understand how much CDC funding is provided to state and local jurisdictions, we analyzed FY 2023 funding data from CDC and present findings about much funding was provided to state and local jurisdictions, what types of public health activities were supported with this funding, and how the funding was distributed across states and regions of the U.S.
In his latest column, KFF President and CEO Drew Altman examines the implications of Secretary Kennedy’s reorganization of HHS and why it’s a sharp break from past efforts to reorganize the department.
… declining trust in the CDC and in the benefits of childhood vaccinations may complicate any efforts to address emerging public health challenges like the ongoing measles outbreak and the continued threat of bird flu
As bird flu continues to circulate among animals in the
As bird flu continues to spread among animals in the U.S., KFF's Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust finds that the public is more concerned about its impact on food prices than potential health impacts. Trust in the CDC to provide information on bird flu is also divided along partisan lines, and a large share of the public is uncertain about public health agencies' recommendations for preventing infection.
This Health Policy 101 chapter examines how public health is governed and delivered in the United States. The chapter includes explanations of key public health frameworks, services, capabilities and characteristics, how the public health system works in state, local and territorial governments, public health funding, workforce, and communication challenges in an era of declining trust and more.
There were gains in coverage across most racial and ethnic groups between 2019 and 2023 after several years of rising uninsured rates during the first Trump administration. The coverage gains between 2019 and 2023 were largely driven by increases in Medicaid coverage, reflecting policies to stabilize and expand access to affordable coverage that were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Senate hearings begin for President Trump’s health nominees, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the latest KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust shows a decline in public trust for government health agencies like the CDC, FDA, and local public health officials. The poll reveals growing skepticism about vaccines and school vaccine requirements, especially among Republicans and parents, while misinformation about vaccine safety persists. Despite low concern about the H5N1 bird flu, the U.S. public is divided on how prepared they believe the government is for future health crises or pandemic.
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