Medicaid Utilization and Spending on New Drugs Used for Weight Loss September 8, 2023 Blog This brief discusses Medicaid coverage of weight-loss drugs, recent trends in Medicaid utilization and gross spending on new drugs used for weight loss, and the potential implications of those new drugs for Medicaid programs and enrollees.
Medicare Advantage Enrollment, Plan Availability and Premiums in Rural Areas September 7, 2023 Issue Brief Medicare Advantage enrollment is lower, but has grown more rapidly in recent years in rural areas than in metropolitan areas. In 2023, nearly 40% of eligible Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas are in Medicare Advantage. Rural Medicare beneficiaries can choose from 27 Medicare Advantage plans on average and most are enrolled in a plan that charges no additional premium.
Understanding Medicaid Procedural Disenrollment Rates September 7, 2023 Blog State Medicaid unwinding data show procedural disenrollment rates are high across most states. This policy watch provides insights for interpreting the data and describes steps the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and states are taking to reduce procedural disenrollments.
Already at Record High, ACA Marketplace Enrollment Could Increase Further September 7, 2023 News Release Enhanced Marketplace subsidies have continued to drive up enrollment in the individual market, and the loss of Medicaid coverage by millions of people could contribute to this trend, according to a new KFF analysis. Meanwhile, enrollment in non-ACA-compliant plans is at a record low. As of early 2023, an estimated…
As ACA Marketplace Enrollment Reaches Record High, Fewer Are Buying Individual Market Coverage Elsewhere September 7, 2023 Issue Brief This analysis looks at how many people are signed up for each type of individual ACA Marketplace coverage—both on- and off-Marketplace and with or without subsidies—as of early 2023 based on federal enrollment data and administrative data insurers report to state regulators, as compiled by Mark Farrah Associates. The number of people enrolled in compliant and non-compliant plans was also evaluated.
The 4 Arguments You Will Hear Against Drug Price Negotiation September 6, 2023 Perspective As the Biden administration begins the process of negotiation drug prices for Medicare as authorized in the Inflation Reduction Act, KFF’s Larry Levitt probes some of the arguments against it and the policy and political implications of the debate in this New York Times op-ed column.
Will Where You Live Determine Access and Coverage of Emerging Anti-Obesity Drugs? August 30, 2023 Blog The U.S. Midwest and South regions have higher average obesity rates among adults. What does this mean for access and coverage of prescription drugs for weight loss?
Continued Rises in Extreme Heat and Implications for Health Disparities August 24, 2023 Issue Brief Recent literature shows that within the U.S., some communities of color have higher risks of heat-related mortality than White people. Consistent with trends in earlier years, between 2018-2021, AIAN people were most likely to die due to heat compared to all other racial and ethnic groups, and Black people had a higher rate of heat-related deaths compared to White people.
Understanding Mergers Between Hospitals and Health Systems in Different Markets August 23, 2023 Issue Brief This brief explains the role and implications of cross-market mergers between hospitals and health systems that operate in different regions and describes the approaches that government antitrust agencies have taken in reviewing these types of transactions.
KFF Health Misinformation Tracking Poll Pilot August 22, 2023 Poll Finding The poll reveals that at least four in ten U.S. adults saying they’ve heard each of 10 specific false claims about COVID-19, reproductive health, and gun violence. While relatively small shares definitely believes the false claims, many more are uncertain about them. The survey also examines the public’s social and traditional media use and trust in sources of health information.