50 Million Uninsured: The Faces Behind the Headlines October 14, 2011 Event Almost 50 million Americans lacked health insurance in 2010 — about a million more than in 2009. Who are the uninsured? Why do so many Americans lack coverage? What are the trends in coverage among different segments of the population? What do these trends mean for the health care system…
Inside Deficit Reduction: What It Means for Medicare October 11, 2011 Event Proposals to generate Medicare savings abound, from the various commissions recommending change, members of Congress and others. Which proposals will, or should receive serious considerations by the Congressional super committee in its quest to find $1.2 trillion or more in savings by its November 23 deadline? What impact would these…
Pulling it Together: Business and Health Care Costs October 11, 2011 Perspective Hidden away on page 218 of our annual Employer Health Benefits Survey is a table that shows what employers think of the main strategies they have to control health care costs. More specifically, the table shows what the person in the firm responsible for its health benefits thinks, which is…
Long-term Services and Supports: A Rebalancing Act October 3, 2011 Event The ongoing debate over the federal budget and deficit reduction presents a balancing act for policymakers, as many compelling interests compete for scarce dollars. But for 10 million older adults and people with disabilities who need long-term services and supports, there is a “rebalancing act” in progress. The aim is…
Black Residents' Views on HIV/AIDS in the District of Columbia October 1, 2011 Poll Finding This data note examines public opinion among Washington, D.C.’s black residents about HIV/AIDS through a new analysis of the findings of the May 2011 Washington Post/Kaiser Family Foundation 2011 Survey of District of Columbia Residents. The District of Columbia has one of the highest AIDS rates in the nation, and…
Examining Medicaid Managed Long-Term Service and Support Programs: Key Issues To Consider October 1, 2011 Issue Brief There is increased interest among states in operating Medicaid managed long-term services and support (MLTSS) programs rather than paying for long-term services and supports (LTSS) on a fee-for-service basis, as has been the general practice. This issue brief examines key issues for states to consider if they are contemplating a…
Medicaid’s Long-Term Care Users: Spending Patterns Across Institutional and Community-based Settings October 1, 2011 Issue Brief The nation’s primary payer for long-term services and supports, Medicaid finances 43 percent of all spending on long-term care services and covers a range of services and supports, including those needed by people to live independently in the community, as well as services provided in institutions. This report provides an…
Update: State Budgets in Recession and Recovery October 1, 2011 Issue Brief State revenues have been rebounding after experiencing a severe decline caused by the Great Recession that ran from December 2007 through June 2009. Nevertheless, tax collections remain below their 2008 peak level and state and local governments continue to shed jobs. As states prepare their fiscal year 2013 budgets, some…
Impact of the Medicaid Fiscal Relief Provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) October 1, 2011 Issue Brief The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), enacted in February 2009, has provided $103 billion in federal fiscal relief to state Medicaid programs over a period of two-and-a-half years to help them address the effects of the 2007-2009 recession. During a recession, unemployment increases and state revenues decline, making it…
Kaiser Health Tracking Poll — October 2011 October 1, 2011 Poll Finding The October health tracking poll finds a more negative overall public mood about the health reform law, driven largely by changes in support for the law among Democrats. The poll also asked the public’s impressions of the Massachusetts health reform law enacted under then- Gov. Mitt Romney, who is now…
