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The Impact of the “Medigrant” Plan on the Federal Payments to States The analysis examines the conference agreement plan for the redistribution of federal funds under a block grant for the Medicaid program. It also discusses the implications of the reductions in federal spending for beneficiary coverage. Report: The Impact…

This side-by-side compares proposals for restructuring of the Medicaid program and with current law. Report: A Comparison of Medicaid Provisions Under Current Law  

Almost every state reported increasing Medicaid payment rates for home- and community-based services to recruit and retain workers as part of their strategy to address long-standing workforce challenges, according to a new report from a survey of state officials administrating those programs. Most states also report developing or expanding worker…

In response to long-standing workforce challenges in home- and community-based services, states have reported increasing Medicaid payment rates, providing more education and training or leveraging other strategies to recruit and retain workers.

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, uncertainty has emerged over whether the right to contraception could also be limited. Justice Thomas’ concurring opinion in Dobbs renewed attention and raised the possibility that other Supreme Court precedents relying on the same principles as Roe, such as the right…

This issue brief analyzes the percentage and characteristics of facilities that would meet the rule’s proposed requirements for the minimum number of RN and nurse aide hours to better understand the implications of the rule.

This brief provides a high-level snapshot of states with minimum medical loss ratio (MLR) and remittance requirements and risk corridors in place as of July 1, 2022 that may provide financial protection and limits on financial risk for states and plans as the unwinding unfolds.

Making Narcan available OTC has the potential to expand access, but several obstacles may limit its reach. Decisions by pharmacies on whether to stock OTC Narcan, the product’s placement within stores, and lingering stigmas can impact accessibility. Furthermore, public knowledge plays a role; many people may not realize that OTC Narcan is available without a prescription from a doctor and that insurance may help cover the costs.

Proposed updates to federal mental health parity rules would make wide ranging changes to current standards that apply to private insurance and coverage provided by most employers. This issue brief focuses on one aspect of the new proposal—a requirement that plans perform an “outcome analysis” before they can place certain restrictions on behavioral health coverage. This would require that plans evaluate specific data to determine the impact of certain restrictions on behavioral health access, such as prior authorization rules or limited provider network access. The use of data analysis as an oversight tool would be new for federal insurance regulators. The brief discusses this new proposed tool and the key policy questions that it triggers.

This brief analyzes data from the 2023 KFF Survey of Consumer Experiences with Health Insurance to get a current understanding of how Medicare is working for older adults and younger people with disabilities. The analysis shows that people with Medicare who are under 65 with disabilities experience more problems using their Medicare coverage, including access and cost-related problems, than beneficiaries who are 65 and older.