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Beyond the Data: Are the Tradeoffs from Prior Authorization Worth It? 

In his latest column, President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman asks if prior authorization review could be eliminated entirely, discussing how it might be done and the tradeoffs. He writes “Nothing makes American health care consumers more frustrated using the health system than prior authorization review. I know because they told us that, ranking prior authorization review far ahead of any other problems they have getting care and navigating the health care system, including getting appointments and understanding their bills.”

Affordable care act

Poll: Health Care Costs, Expiring ACA Tax Credits, and the 2026 Midterms

Heading into this midterm election year, the cost of health care tops the public’s economic anxieties, and more than 4 in 10 voters say the issue will have a major impact on their vote, a new KFF Health Tracking poll finds. Two thirds of public say Congress "did the wrong thing" by not extending ACA enhanced tax credits, but Republicans largely say Congress “did the right thing.”

Health System Tracker

How Does Health Spending in the U.S. Compare to Other Countries? While the U.S. still spends the most in total dollars, eight OECD nations had a higher percentage increase in per-person health spending in 2024.

 

How Does Cost Affect Access to Health Care? In 2024, about 1 in 6 adults reported delaying or not getting healthcare due to cost, including medical or mental health care.

 

How Do Health Expenditures Vary Across the Population? Five percent of the population made up nearly half of all health spendings, pending an average of $72,918 annually in 2023.

NHE explorer

National Health Spending Explorer: Get up-to-date information on U.S. health spending by federal and local governments, private companies, and individuals.

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  • National Survey of Physicians Part III: Doctors on Their Profession

    Poll Finding

      As part of the Kaiser Family Foundation's biennial National Survey of Physicians, the Foundation examined doctors views of their profession. The survey found that most physicians say the overall morale of physicians has decreased in the last five years.

  • National Survey of Physicians Part II: Doctors and Prescription Drugs

    Other Post

    With attention focused recently on direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs, findings from a new National Survey of Physicians by the Kaiser Family Foundation shed light on another factor in drug promotion that has received less attention -- promotion to physicians.

  • 2001 Retiree Health and Prescription Drug Coverage Survey-6020

    Report

    2001 Retiree Health and Prescription Drug Coverage Survey This survey, released by the Kaiser Family Foundation, The Commonwealth Fund, and HRET, profiles retiree health coverage for Medicare-age (65+) retirees, including the amount retirees pay for coverage compared to active workers, cost-sharing for prescription drugs, and eligibility requirements for retiree benefits.

  • How Private Insurance Works: A Primer

    Report

    This primer, prepared by Gary Claxton of the Institute for Health Care Research and Policy at Georgetown University, examines the structure and operation of private health insurance including the types of organizations that provide it, how managed care is delivered, and how risk pools work and describes how private health insurance coverage is regulated under…

  • National Survey of Small Businesses – Toplines

    Poll Finding

    National Survey of Small Businesses Toplines from a new survey that finds that two-thirds of small employers say that they are dissatisfied with the cost of health care and health insurance, and about one-third of small businesses that now offer insurance say they are likely to increase the share of costs borne by employees in…

  • National Survey of Small Businesses

    Report

    A survey finds that two-thirds of small employers say that they are dissatisfied with the cost of health care and health insurance, and about one-third of small businesses that now offer insurance say they are likely to increase the share of costs borne by employees in the next year.

  • National Survey of Small Businesses

    Other Post

    Survey highlights/chartpack from a new survey that finds that two-thirds of small employers say that they are dissatisfied with the cost of health care and health insurance, and about one-third of small businesses that now offer insurance say they are likely to increase the share of costs borne by employees in the next year.

  • Trends in Medicare Supplemental Insurance and Prescription Drug Coverage 1996-1999

    Other Post

    This paper, featured in the February 27, 2002, online issue of Health Affairs, examines trends in Medicare beneficiaries supplemental insurance and prescription drug coverage between 1996 and 1999, using the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) Access to Care files. It also provides snapshot estimates of coverage among subgroups of Medicare beneficiaries in 1999.