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COSTS and Affordability

A Preview of the Role Health Care May Play in the 2026 Election

Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, this KFF issue brief examines the role health care has played in previous elections and what that may suggest about its potential role in 2026. KFF polls have consistently found that the cost of health care is an important part of voters’ economic concerns.

Affordable care act

ACA Marketplace Survey Feature Image - Website

Cost Concerns and Coverage Changes: A Follow-Up Survey of ACA Marketplace Enrollees

This KFF survey is a follow-up survey of adults who had ACA Marketplace insurance in 2025. The survey examines the cost concerns and coverage changes of Marketplace enrollees following the end of the enhanced premium tax credits and finds that half of returning enrollees say their health care costs are “a lot higher” and most expect to cut back on basic household expenses to afford coverage.

Health System Tracker

What Are the Recent Trends in Employer-Based Health Coverage? Employer-sponsored health insurance is the largest source of health coverage for people under 65, but its reach is uneven.

How Does U.S. Life Expectancy Compare to Other Countries? The life expectancy gap between the U.S. and peer countries decreased from 4.1 years in 2023 to 3.7 years in 2024 as U.S. mortality dropped.

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 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.

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  • New Survey on Consumer Experiences with Health Plans

    Report

    Survey on Consumer Experiences with Health Plans A Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health survey found that more than six in ten privately insured American adults under age 65 give their health plans a grade of A or B, but nearly half report having some type of problem with their health plan in the…

  • Guide to Federal Patients Bill of Rights Debate

    Report

    This guide, prepared by Stephanie Lewis, JD, MHSA for the Kaiser Family Foundation, explores key issues in the Congressional debate over a federal patients bill of rights.

  • Health News Index – July/August 2001

    Poll Finding

    Health News Index July/August, 2001 The July/August 2001 edition of the Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health, Health News Index includes questions about major health stories covered in the news, including stem cell research and patients rights legislation.

  • How Are Safety Net Hospitals Responding to Health Care Financing Changes?

    Report

    A new background report sums up how multiple trends have led to a situation where safety net hospitals are feeling more financial pressure and are challenged to subsidize the unprofitable care of theuninsured. Background Paper For a more extensive discussion read our larger report from the same study.

  • Employers Attitudes Toward Patients Rights

    Report

    A national survey of employers, released jointly by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust, found that smaller employers (3 to 199 employees) are significantly more likely than larger employers (200 or more employers) to support a person's right to sue a health plan, and somewhat more likely to support the…

  • Comparison of State Managed Care Liability Laws

    Report

    Since Texas enacted the first law explicitly authorizing suits by enrollees in health plans offered by managed care organizations (MCOs) and other insurers, several other states have adopted similar legislation. This report, prepared by Patricia Butler, J.D., Dr.Ph.