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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  • We’ve Never Seen Health Care Cuts This Big

    Perspective

    In this July 1 column for The New York Times Opinion section, KFF Executive Vice President for Health Policy Larry Levitt explains how the budget reconciliation bill passed by the Senate on July 1 is effectively a partial repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and, if signed into law, the resulting reductions in Medicaid and ACA Marketplace coverage would make it "the biggest rollback in federal support for health coverage ever."

  • How Affordability of Employer Coverage Varies by Family Income

    Issue Brief

    This analysis looks at the share of family income people with employer-based coverage pay toward their premiums and out-of-pocket payments for medical care. The cost of employer sponsored health insurance—including premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket costs—has risen steadily over time.

  • Pending Changes to Marketplace Plans Could Increase Cost Sharing for Consumers

    Policy Watch

    This brief looks at changes to Marketplace plans recently finalized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that may incentivize insurers to make their plans less generous. With less generous plans, consumers could face higher out-of-pocket costs, though those who don't qualify for premium tax credits could see lower premiums.

  • Poll: Public Views “Big Beautiful Bill” Unfavorably by Nearly a 2-1 Margin; Democrats, Independents and Non-MAGA Republicans Oppose It, While MAGA Supporters Favor It

    News Release

    Medicaid Work Requirements Are Generally Popular, But Arguments Can Shift Views Nearly two-thirds (64%) of the public holds unfavorable views of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed last month by the House, nearly twice the share who view the bill favorably (35%), a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. The budget reconciliation bill that includes tax and budget cuts – much of which affect health care – is viewed unfavorably by large majorities of Democrats…

  • Make American Health Care Affordable Again

    Perspective

    In this JAMA Health Forum column, Larry Levitt highlights how the Make America Healthy Again agenda aimed at chronic disease does little to address the affordability of health care and that efforts to lower federal spending on health care may worsen the problem, raising out-of-pocket costs for many people with Medicaid and Affordable Care Act coverage.

  • The Performance of the Federal Independent Dispute Resolution Process through Mid-2024

    Issue Brief

    The No Surprises Act, which was signed into law by President Trump during his first term and took effect in 2022, aims to protect consumers from certain surprise medical bills. The law established processes to keep the patient out of the payment negotiations between the provider and the plan. In the event of an unsuccessful negotiation, providers and payers enter an independent dispute resolution (IDR) process in which a designated third-party arbitrator examines eligible evidence…

  • Marketplace Enrollees with Unpredictable Incomes Could Face Bigger Penalties Under House Reconciliation Bill Provision

    Issue Brief

    This analysis illustrates how provisions included in the House budget reconciliation bill could expose Marketplace enrollees with unpredictable incomes to higher penalties when filing taxes if they underestimate their incomes. About one in four potential Marketplace shoppers had incomes that varied at least 20 percent from the beginning to the end of the year.