Rural Hospitals Face Renewed Financial Challenges, Especially in States That Have Not Expanded Medicaid February 23, 2023 Issue Brief This data note examines rural hospitals’ operating margins in recent years. After seeing higher margins early in the pandemic, likely due to government relief funds, rural hospitals now face renewed challenges, especially in states that have not expanded Medicaid.
Is the Biden Administration Proposing Cuts to Medicare Advantage? February 17, 2023 Blog Recent announcements by the Administration to improve the accuracy of payments and improve program integrity of Medicare Advantage are unlikely to have a major impact on the program, the insurance industry or beneficiaries, given relatively generous payments to plans and the robustness of the market for private Medicare plans.
How Recognizing Health Disparities for Black People is Important for Change February 13, 2023 Blog Ongoing racism and discrimination, police violence against and killings of Black people, and gun violence also negatively impact health and well-being of Black people. Black people’s repeated and chronic exposure to stressors associated with racism and discrimination drive rapid biological aging and poorer health outcomes.
Understanding the Role of Medicaid Managed Care Plans in Unwinding Pandemic-Era Continuous Enrollment: Perspectives from Safety-Net Plans February 13, 2023 Issue Brief This brief presents findings from a survey and roundtable discussion of Medicaid managed care plans about the role they may play in the unwinding of the pandemic-era continuous enrollment provision.
Claims Denials and Appeals in ACA Marketplace Plans in 2021 February 9, 2023 Issue Brief This analysis of HealthCare.gov Marketplace insurers’ transparency data finds that 17% of in-network claims were denied in 2021, with denial rates varying widely across insurers. Consumers appealed less than two-tenths of 1% of denied in-network claims.
The End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: Details on Health Coverage and Access February 3, 2023 Blog This post provides an overview of how health care coverage and access will and won’t change when the public health emergency ends on May 11, including a discussion of COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments, and telemedicine.
As States Prepare to “Unwind” the Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Provision, Past Patterns Show That Most People Who Are Disenrolled from Medicaid Become Uninsured for All or Part of the Next 12 Months January 25, 2023 News Release Roughly two-thirds (65%) of people who were disenrolled from Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in a recent year became uninsured for all or part of the 12 months that followed, a new KFF analysis finds. The analysis of enrollment data from the 2016-2019 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey…
2023 Update on Key Federal Immigration Policies and Implications for Health January 30, 2023 Issue Brief This issue brief provides the latest update on some key evolving immigration policies, including Title 42 as it applies to border enforcement, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and the public charge rule and discusses the implications of these policies for the health and well-being of immigrants.
What Happens After People Lose Medicaid Coverage? January 25, 2023 Issue Brief This brief uses pre-pandemic data from the 2016-2019 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) to examine the extent to which people enroll in and retain other coverage during the 12 months following disenrollment from Medicaid/CHIP.
Medicaid: What to Watch in 2023 January 24, 2023 Issue Brief As 2023 kicks off, a number of issues are at play that could affect coverage and financing under Medicaid. This issue brief examines key issues to watch in Medicaid in the year ahead.