Coronavirus Response and the Affordable Care Act March 23, 2020 Issue Brief This post examines the Affordable Care Act’s impact 10 years after its enactment and how its provisions, especially those that expand coverage opportunities, could address the health threat and economic upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Private Health Coverage of COVID-19: Key Facts and Issues March 18, 2020 Issue Brief New federal legislation will require most private health plans to cover testing for the coronavirus with no cost sharing. Some states have adopted similar requirements for insurers they regulate, and many private insurance companies will voluntarily expand coverage for testing. However, some private coverage will not be subject to these requirements. To date, fewer changes have been adopted or considered with respect to treatment for complications from the disease. This brief reviews current coverage standards for private health plans and how these may change in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Potential Costs of Coronavirus Treatment for People with Employer Coverage March 16, 2020 Issue Brief As COVID-19 spreads within the United States, questions have arisen over the potential costs people may face if they become severely ill and need treatment. While many large insurers have agreed to waive copayments and deductibles for COVID-19 tests, people with private insurance who face deductibles could still be on…
Even Supporters May Not Understand Medicare-for-All March 2, 2020 Perspective In this Axios column, Drew Altman shows that the majority of supporters don’t know how Medicare-for-all works, with both positive and negative implications for support if they knew more.
Data Note: Public Worries About And Experience With Surprise Medical Bills February 28, 2020 Poll Finding This data note captures February 2020 poll findings on the public’s worries about and experiences with unexpected and surprise medical bills.
A Polling Surprise? Americans Rank Unexpected Medical Bills at the Top of Family Budget Worries February 28, 2020 News Release When it comes to family budget concerns, unexpected medical bills top Americans’ list of worries, with two-thirds (65%) of the public saying they are at least somewhat worried, including 35% who say they are “very” worried, the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. Fewer Americans say they are at least…
Poll: Nearly 10 Years after Its Enactment, the Affordable Care Act is More Popular Than Ever as Republican Voters Instead Target Medicare-for-All February 21, 2020 News Release ACA is more popular than ever as Republican voters instead target Medicare-for-all; swing voters prefer a public option to Medicare-for-all.
A Conversation with Washington Gov. Inslee and Colorado Gov. Polis on the Public Option in Their States February 7, 2020 Event On Friday, Feb. 7, KFF hosted a conversation with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee about their states’ efforts to establish a public health insurance option and make other changes to address health costs and access. The two governors have made health reforms a key part…
Self-insured Companies Do No Better on Cost Control January 27, 2020 Perspective A data surprise? Drew Altman, in his latest Axios column, shows there is no difference between large self-insured and fully insured companies when it comes to controlling health care costs, bucking conventional wisdom.
The ACA is Doing Fine Without a Mandate Penalty January 14, 2020 Perspective In an Axios column, Drew Altman explains that the elimination of the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate penalty has had little impact on how the ACA’s insurance markets are working, showing that “the marketplaces continue to function, even when ‘severed’ from the mandate penalty,” and undercutting a central argument in the lawsuit seeking to strike down the entire law.