How Financially Vulnerable are People with Medical Debt? February 12, 2024 Issue Brief This analysis of government data finds that people with medical debt are much more likely to have other forms of financial distress than those without medical debt, like having no “rainy day” fund, overdrawing a checking account, or relying on costly loans.
Health Care Debt In The U.S.: The Broad Consequences Of Medical And Dental Bills June 16, 2022 Report The KFF Health Care Debt Survey finds that four in ten adults have some form of health care debt, with most citing one-time or short-term medical expenses as the contributor. Many of those with health care debt report making personal sacrifices and enduring financial consequences as a result of their debt, while nearly one in five think they will never be able to pay off.
People with Medical Debt are Much More Likely to Experience Other Forms of Financial Stress February 12, 2024 News Release People with medical debt are much more likely than those without such debt to show other signs of financial vulnerability, like having no “rainy day” fund, overdrawing a checking account, or relying on costly loans, according to a new KFF analysis of national survey data. Medical debt remains a significant…
Understanding Health Insurance November 5, 2015 Video The YouToons help consumers understand health insurance by explaining health insurance premiums, out-of-pocket costs, and provider networks. These three videos are excerpts from the 2014 YouToons video, Health Insurance Explained – The YouToons Have It Covered.
Preventive Services Covered by Private Health Plans under the Affordable Care Act February 28, 2024 Fact Sheet Note: This content was updated on February 28, 2024 to incorporate new FAQs from CMS. Tables 1 and 2 were also updated to include updated recommendations. It has been more than ten years since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) required private insurance plans to cover recommended preventive services without any…
Explaining the Prescription Drug Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act January 24, 2023 Issue Brief The Inflation Reduction Act includes several provisions that will lower prescription drug costs for people with Medicare and reduce drug spending by the federal government. This brief summarizes these provisions and discusses the expected effects on people, program spending, and drug prices and innovation.
Charges for Emails with Doctors and other Healthcare Providers March 6, 2024 Issue Brief Patient-provider email messaging accelerated early in the COVID-19 pandemic as more patients sought medical care remotely, and the addition of billing codes for digital health services and subsequent changes in insurers’ payment policies have enabled providers to bill insurers and patients for messaging. This analysis examines the typical cost of…
3 Charts: Medicare Drug Price Negotiations January 31, 2024 News Release Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the federal government for the first time will negotiate directly with drug companies to determine the prices that Medicare will pay for certain high expenditure drugs covered under Medicare Part D (starting in 2026) and Part B (starting in 2028). Part D covers retail prescription…
What resources are available for privately insured patients who get surprise balance bills? March 19, 2024 Issue Brief Most patients do not know about the new surprise billing protections and likely also do not know of resources available to seek recourse for incorrect medical bills. This brief provides resources to privately insured patients who receive surprise balance bills and also summarizes relevant policies and how they apply to balance billing.
Medical Debt Among New Mothers May 9, 2024 Issue Brief This analysis examines the share of new mothers who have significant medical debt (in excess of $250), compared to other young women who did not recently give birth, using data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP).