Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Less than a week after a new federal mandate to cover such products took effect, about half of the nation’s largest private insurers allow enrollees to directly obtain rapid at-home COVID-19 tests from specific sources without having to pay anything upfront, a new KFF analysis finds. The new coverage requirement…

In this JAMA Forum column, KFF’s Larry Levitt examines the growing role of private insurance companies in public programs, including Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care, and the tradeoffs that result.

Use of digital behavioral health services increased during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person visits were limited. This brief examines how different types of mental health apps are used, how federal policies during the pandemic affected the scope of services they could provide, and key issues to watch.

This policy watch provides a short overview of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), describing its history, budget, organizational structure and its major programs and responsibilities.

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to grow in the United States, it threatens efforts to address existing health challenges, including the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This blog piece explores whether efforts to “end the HIV epidemic” can be sustained while confronting COVID-19, particularly as the very systems and workforce needed to address HIV are being stretched thin to confront the new crisis.

This brief offers an overview of the new multilateral global health financing mechanism known as the Pandemic Fund, which is housed at the World Bank. The brief reviews the evolution of the Fund, its current financial status and donors, U.S. engagement, and policy issues going forward.

This analysis compares 2021 data about deaths in the U.S. and 11 other large, wealthy countries by age and cause to understand the primary drivers of the longevity gap between the U.S. and the comparable countries. It finds that the primary reasons for the gap in 2021 were chronic disease, COVID-19 and substance use disorders.

The February 2020 KFF Health Tracking Poll examines the public’s awareness of and concerns about the Coronavirus, following its spread across China and around the globe. The public is concerned about the potential economic and health impacts of the virus on the U.S. and on them and their families. A majority of the public and majorities across partisans say the U.S. is currently doing enough to prevent the spread of the virus.

KFF President and CEO Drew Altman explains why data and facts, policy plans and lists of accomplishments do not connect with many voters. Understanding the symbolic dimensions of politics and issues is critical for experts. We can reach a share of the public with facts and data but need additional strategies to reach everyone, including storytelling and trusted messengers.