Recent Widening of Racial Disparities in U.S. Life Expectancy Was Largely Driven by COVID-19 Mortality May 23, 2023 News Release During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. population experienced the most significant two-year decline in life expectancy in roughly a century, according to new research by KFF, with data showing that COVID-19 deaths disproportionately impacted people of color and exacerbating longstanding racial disparities in life expectancy. While overall U.S. life expectancy declined…
What is Driving Widening Racial Disparities in Life Expectancy? May 23, 2023 Issue Brief This analysis examines trends and racial disparities in life expectancy, leading causes of death by race and ethnicity, and discusses the underlying factors that drive disparities in life expectancy.
What Are the Exceptions to State Abortion Bans? May 18, 2023 News Release A new KFF analysis reviews exceptions to abortion bans and describes how the stated aim to provide life-saving and health-preserving abortion care may not be achieved in practice. Abortion is currently banned in 14 states and many other states have attempted to ban or severely restrict abortion access. Exceptions to…
What is the Potential Impact of New Drugs for Obesity and Alzheimer’s Disease on Medicare Costs, Coverage and Beneficiaries? May 18, 2023 News Release Two new KFF analyses examine the potential impact of Medicare coverage of new prescription drugs for obesity and Alzheimer’s disease on program spending and beneficiary out-of-pocket costs, as well as the role that the Inflation Reduction Act could play in mitigating these effects. Manufacturers of both types of drugs are…
What Could New Anti-Obesity Drugs Mean for Medicare? May 18, 2023 Blog In this piece, we discuss Medicare coverage of obesity treatments, the potential cost implications if Medicare covers anti-obesity drugs, and how the Inflation Reduction Act could potentially address these cost concerns.
Mpox One Year Later: Where is the U.S. today? May 17, 2023 Issue Brief This brief provides an overview of the impact of mpox in the U.S. one year after a case of was identified domestically and the federal response to date, and discusses the future outlook.
Testimony: Prior Authorization in Medicare Advantage May 17, 2023 Issue Brief Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, an Associate Director for the Program on Medicare Policy at KFF, testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on May 17, 2023 as part of a hearing on Examining Health Care Denials and Delays in Medicare Advantage.
Private Insurers Expect to Pay $1.1 Billion in Rebates This Year for Setting Premiums Too High Relative to Medical Costs May 17, 2023 News Release Private insurance companies are expecting to pay out about $1.1 billion in rebates this fall under an Affordable Care Act (ACA) provision that requires insurers to spend the bulk of customers’ premium payments on care, a new KFF analysis finds. Rebates are based on insurers’ experiences over the previous three…