Private Insurance

Health Care Affordability

BTD Health Policy in 2026

Health Policy in 2026

President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman forecasts eight things to look for in health policy in 2026. “First and foremost,” he writes, “is the role health care affordability will play in the midterms.” And, he notes: “The average cost of a family policy for employers could approach $30,000 and cost sharing and deductibles will rise again after plateauing for several years.”

View all of Drew’s Beyond the Data Columns

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  • Analysis of UnitedHealth Group’s Premiums and Participation in ACA Marketplaces

    Issue Brief

    This analysis looks at how a potential withdrawal by UnitedHealth Group from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces in 2017 could impact insurer competition and premiums, finding a significant impact in some markets, though it would have a minimal effect on the average benchmark premium nationwide, The impacts of a UnitedHealth withdrawal would vary considerably by state and market area, with a more pronounced effect in rural areas. Since UnitedHealth often is not one of…

  • Insurer Competition, Monthly Premiums Could Be Affected in Some Markets if UnitedHealth Group Exits ACA Marketplaces

    News Release

    A withdrawal by UnitedHealth Group from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces in 2017 could have a significant impact on insurer competition and premiums in some markets, though it would have a minimal effect on the average benchmark premium nationwide, according to a new analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Late last year, UnitedHealth announced that it experienced significant financial losses in ACA compliant plans and that it would decide about future participation in ACA…

  • The Affordable Care Act After Six Years

    From Drew Altman

    In this column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman examines the role of the Affordable Care Act in the health system on its sixth anniversary, and how the hot debate about the law may have created an exaggerated impression of the good and the bad it can do.

  • Trends in Employer-Sponsored Insurance Offer and Coverage Rates, 1999-2014

    Issue Brief

    This issue brief uses data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to examine trends in employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI) for different of individuals and households in the United States. While ESI remains the leading source of coverage for nonelderly people, the percentage covered by an employer plan has declined over the past 15 years. A similar pattern exists with firm offer rates; fewer workers were offered health insurance from their employer in 2014 than…

  • Surprise Medical Bills

    Issue Brief

    This brief explores the problem of "surprise medical bills" -- charges arising when an insured individual inadvertently receives care from an out-of-network provider. It reviews studies on the extent of the issue, including Kaiser Family Foundation polling data, and outlines state and federal policy responses, including rules and proposed rules for Medicare and plans in Affordable Care Act marketplaces.

  • Assessing ACA Marketplace Enrollment

    Issue Brief

    This analysis examines factors that may have kept 2016 enrollment in Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plans from reaching early projections, and it estimates that sign-ups will continue to grow modestly in coming years.

  • New Analysis Suggests ACA Marketplace Enrollment Could Grow Modestly Over Next Few Years, up to 16.3 Million Sign-Ups, 14.7 Million Enrollees after Attrition

    News Release

    A new analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that sign-ups in Affordable Care Act marketplace plans could continue to grow modestly over the next few years to 16.3 million (up 28%), based on the experience of the top-performing states. Assessing ACA Marketplace Enrollment examines factors that may have kept enrollment in 2016 from reaching early projections, including smaller declines than expected in employer coverage and a substantial number of people buying their own insurance…

  • The Affordable Care Act Doesn’t Rank Highly As an Issue for Voters in the Presidential Primaries

    News Release

    Despite Anecdotal Reports about Narrow Networks, 87% of Working-Age Adults with Insurance Are Satisfied With Their Plan's Choice of Doctors; 12% Say They Had to Change Doctors in Past Year As the ACA's Open Enrollment Nears End, Most of Those Who Remain Uninsured Are Disengaged While this month Congress passed and President Obama vetoed legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act, voters nationally aren't focused on the law in this year's presidential election, the latest…

  • Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: January 2016

    Feature

    Despite the ongoing debate between Republican lawmakers and President Obama on the future of the 2010 health care law, the January Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is only one of many issues that may impact voting decisions. While there has been recent focus on improving the value of health care, those with insurance under 65 years old largely say the health care services they receive are at least a good…