Health Costs

The MIDTERMS

KFF Health Tracking Poll: MAHA and the Midterms

Chemical food additive and pesticide concerns associated with the Make America Health Again (MAHA) movement are shared broadly across the public. But when it comes to voters, health care costs are a higher priority and bigger motivator, even among MAHA supporters, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. When asked to identify their most important health priority for government to address, far more MAHA-supporting voters identify lowering the cost of health care (42%) than other issues more closely associated with the movement.

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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  • Medicaid Support for Family Planning in the Managed Care Era

    Report

    As the largest source of public funding for contraceptive care in the United States, Medicaid plays a crucial role in financing family planning services and supplies for millions of low-income women across the nation. In the past 15 years, managed care has become the primary way of delivering care to children and adults on Medicaid, a development which has had significant implications for how family planning services are financed, organized and delivered under Medicaid. This…

  • 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. The Health News Index is designed to help the news media and people in the health field gain a better understanding of which health stories Americans are following and what they understand about those health issues.…

  • 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 right to appeal a health plan's decision to an independent reviewer. Two-thirds (67%) of smaller employers express support for 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., for the Kaiser Family Foundation, briefly describes the key features of these state laws, legal challenges that have been raised to some of them, and early experiences in states whose laws are in effect. The key features…

  • How Accessible is Individual Health Insurance for Consumer in Less-Than-Perfect Health?

    Report

    This report documents the findings of a study examining access to health insurance coverage in the individual market for people with health problems. Seven hypothetical consumers with varying health conditions were defined and insurers and HMOs in eight different markets around the country were asked to consider them as though they were real consumers applying for coverage. Report

  • How Accessible is Individual Health Insurance for Consumers in Less-Than Perfect Health?

    Report

    This report documents the findings of a study examining access to health insurance coverage in the individual market for people with health problems. Seven hypothetical consumers with varying health conditions were defined and insurers and HMOs in eight different markets around the country were asked to consider them as though they were real consumers applying for coverage. Renewed debate over proposals to expand coverage for the uninsured using tax credits for the purchase of individual…

  • Federal Budget Chartbook 2001

    Report

    A new chart book examines Fiscal Year 2002 budget proposals by President Bush and Congress, focusing on their impact on health programs. It provides both an examination of how health care programs fit into the overall U.S. budget and a review of past budget trends and future projections for government health care programs. Chartbook

  • Health News Index – May/June 2001

    Poll Finding

    Health News Index May/June, 2001 The May/June 2001 edition of the Health News Index includes questions about major health stories covered in the news, including the Supreme Court ruling regarding the distribution of medical marijuana and the debate in Congress over a Patients Bill of Rights. This edition also includes findings on public support for certain prescription allergy medicines being sold over the counter. The Health News Index is designed to help the news media…