New Analysis Finds US Individual Insurance Market Grew 46 Percent in First Full Year of Affordable Care Act April 29, 2015 News Release A new analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that the nation’s individual insurance market grew 46 percent to 15.5 million people in the first year plans could be purchased through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces, which offer premium assistance to low- and moderate-income people. Four states — California, Florida,…
Few Consumers Use Information on Health Provider Quality or Price April 27, 2015 News Release In his latest column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman discusses new poll findings showing very small numbers of consumers are using provider quality and price information. All previous columns by Drew Altman are available online.
At Tax Time, No Public Backlash Over Obamacare’s Individual Mandate April 21, 2015 News Release As tax season closes, Drew Altman looks at why the ACA’s individual mandate and tax credit reconciliation process “passed their first major hurdles this tax season with no significant public backlash,” in his latest column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank.
Americans’ Views on the Affordable Care Act Hold Steady, with 43% Now Viewing It Favorably and 42% Unfavorably April 21, 2015 News Release Few Report Seeing Comparative Information about Health Care Prices and Quality, and Less Than 10% Use It Pocketbook and Consumer Issues Top Public’s List of Priorities for the President and Congress, Ahead of Several ACA-Related Issues This month’s Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds public opinion on the health care law…
Public vs. Private Health Insurance on Controlling Spending April 16, 2015 News Release In his latest column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman analyzes whether public or private health insurance does a better job of controlling costs. All previous columns by Drew Altman are available online.
New Report Analyzes Health Insurance Coverage of Contraceptives April 16, 2015 News Release A new Kaiser Family Foundation report released today finds how health insurance carriers are interpreting and implementing the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive coverage requirement varies, limiting contraceptive options for some women. The ACA requires most private health insurance plans to cover a range of preventive services for women, including prescribed…
Medigap and the Medicare “Doc Fix” April 13, 2015 News Release The House-passed legislation to repeal the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) includes a provision that would prohibit Medicare supplemental insurance (Medigap) policies from covering the Part B deductible for people who become eligible for Medicare beginning in 2020. A new Kaiser Family Foundation Data Note explores the implications of this…
Why Low Growth in Health Costs Still Stings April 8, 2015 News Release In his latest column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman shows how rising deductibles have eclipsed growth in wages and discusses why that may be the main reason people think costs have been continuing to rise rapidly when instead, growth has slowed. All previous columns by Drew Altman are…
New Interactive Tool Allows Users to Explore Trends in US Health Spending and Share Custom-Made Charts April 1, 2015 News Release A new interactive tool on the Peterson-Kaiser Health System Tracker allows users to analyze the most up-to-date data on U.S. health spending, then build, display and share the charts they create. Developed by analysts at the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Health Spending Explorer helps users examine five decades worth of numbers documenting…
New Analysis: Half of U.S. Households Eligible for a Tax Subsidy Under the Health Law Would Owe a Repayment, While 45 Percent Would Receive a Refund March 24, 2015 News Release Estimated Average Repayment is $794. Estimated Average Refund is $773. Half of U.S. households eligible for a 2014 tax subsidy under the Affordable Care Act would owe a repayment to the government, while 45 percent would receive a refund, according to estimates from a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The…