Characteristics of Frequent Emergency Department Users September 29, 2007 Report The increased use of U.S. hospital emergency departments has received considerable attention from both the health care community and policymakers in recent years. This analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation examines the demographic and health characteristics of people who frequently visit the emergency room to help understand why their utilization…
Awareness and Perceptions of the Movie “Sicko” August 1, 2007 Poll Finding An August 2007 poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation looks at the potential impact of Michael Moore’s documentary “Sicko.” The survey finds that although only 4% of adults say they have watched it, almost half (46%) had seen the movie or heard or read something about it a little over…
Learning From History: Deinstitutionalization of People with Mental Illness As Precursor to Long-Term Care Reform July 31, 2007 Report This report examines what policy lessons can be learned from the deinstitutionalization of people with mental illnesses and applied to potential long-term care reform for the elderly or those with significant disabilities. The study assesses the reforms that took place under deinstitutionalization, their impact and what mistakes were made. It…
The Future of New Orleans: Young Adults in the Greater New Orleans Area July 30, 2007 Poll Finding Using data from the Kaiser Post-Katrina Baseline Survey of the New Orleans Area, this Survey Brief profiles young adults (those ages 18-34) living in the Greater New Orleans area, a group that will play a key role in the success and rebuilding of New Orleans. The brief looks at whether…
Health Care in New Orleans from the People’s Perspective July 30, 2007 Event Diane Rowland, executive vice president of Kaiser, testified to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation about the health care needs of New Orleans’ residents and their access to health services in the area. Her testimony was a part of the hearing, “Post-Katrina Health Care in the…
Key Findings: Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: Election 2008 — March 2007 July 6, 2007 Poll Finding This document presents key findings from the first Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: Election 2008, which is tracking changes in the saliency of health as a political and policy priority, what the public’s priorities are for a health reform plan and whether any candidates are breaking through with the public with…
Designing a Medicare Drug Discount Card: Implications of Policy Choices for Medicare Beneficiaries and Plan Sponsors October 30, 2003 Report This report analyzes key issues surrounding the implementation of a Medicare-endorsed prescription drug discount card program. Medicare prescription drug discount cards have been proposed as a short-term strategy for lowering prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries. The report considers the implications for both discount card sponsors and beneficiaries of alternative…
The Healthcare Experience of Women with HIV/AIDS: Insights from Focus Groups – Executive Summary October 1, 2003 Report The Healthcare Experiences of Women with HIV/AIDS: Insights from Focus GroupsThis report summarizes findings from a series of focus groups with women living with HIV/AIDS. Focus group participants describe their first-hand experience with the health care system, including issues of to financing and coverage, relationships with providers, the role of…
Health Insurance Coverage in Rural America September 29, 2003 Report This chartbook presents analysis of national data on health insurance coverage based on a county's proximity to a large urban area. It answers questions of how much health insurance coverage differs among people living in rural vs. urban communities, as well as, the differences in socio-economic and employment characteristics of…
Health Affairs Article: From ‘Soak The Rich’ To ‘Soak The Poor: Recent Trends In Hospital Pricing April 29, 2007 Report Health Affairs Article: From 'Soak The Rich' To 'Soak The Poor': Recent Trends In Hospital PricingThe May-June 2007 issue of Health Affairs features a Foundation-supported study on recent trends in hospital pricing, including comparisons of rates charged to self-pay patients versus those with insurance coverage. The article also examies three…