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Medicare beneficiaries with low incomes and modest assets can qualify for additional financial help with Medicare premiums and cost sharing through both the Medicare Savings Programs and Medicare’s Part D Low-Income Subsidy for prescription drug coverage. A new analysis and collection of interactive profiles highlight variations across states in the…

Increased social isolation, stress, and unemployment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to a rise in mental health issues and substance use disorders (SUD) in the U.S. The impact of the pandemic has been particularly concerning for kids, as KFF’s most recent COVID Vaccine Monitor reported that…

Due to systemic and overt discrimination, Black people are disproportionately affected by high maternal and infant morbidities and mortality. In addition to legislation, addressing systemic discrimination, implicit bias and racism will be integral to achieving equity in maternal health outcomes.

This data note provides an overview of programs that help beneficiaries with modest incomes with their Medicare costs, including the Medicare Savings Programs and the Part D Low-Income Subsidy, and highlights findings from corresponding state-level profiles of eligibility and enrollment.

Reed V. Tuckson, MD, FACP, is Managing Director of Tuckson Health Connections, LLC, a vehicle to advance initiatives that support optimal health and wellbeing through the intersection of health promotion and disease prevention; applied data and analytics; enhanced quality and efficiency in care delivery; and the application of telehealth and…

Soledad O’Brien is an award-winning documentarian, journalist, speaker, author, and philanthropist, who founded Soledad O’Brien Productions, a multi-platform media production company dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories on a range of social issues. She anchors and produces the Hearst TV political magazine program “Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien”…

Frederick P. Cerise, MD, MPH, was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Parkland Health & Hospital System in March 2014. Prior to joining Parkland, Dr. Cerise served as Vice President for Health Affairs and Medical Education of the Louisiana State University System. From 2004 to 2007, Dr. Cerise was…

When the federal government ends COVID-19 emergency declarations that were declared in the early days of the pandemic, it will bring to a close several changes that were enacted temporarily to enable the U.S. health care system to better deal with the crisis. A new KFF resource details a number…

Earlier this week, the Biden Administration announced the final Medicare Advantage rates for 2023, which are projected to result in an average increase in Medicare Advantage plan revenue of 8.5% compared to 2022 – the highest average expected increase in recent years. Payments to Medicare Advantage plans as a share…

This brief provides an overview of the major health-related COVID-19 federal emergency declarations that have been made since early on in the pandemic, summarizes the flexibilities triggered by each, and identifies the implications for their ending, related to coverage, costs, and payment for COVID-19 testing, treatments, and vaccines; Medicaid coverage and federal match rates; telehealth; access to medical countermeasures through FDA emergency use authorization (EUA); and other Medicaid, Medicare and private health insurance flexibilities.