Public Health Infrastructure and Pandemic Preparedness Provisions in the Build Back Better Act November 10, 2021 Issue Brief This brief summarizes funding for public health infrastructure as well as pandemic preparedness as specified in the Build Back Better Act introduced in the House.
Oct. 21 Web Event: Confronting Ageism in Health Care: A Conversation for Patients, Caregivers and Clinicians October 21, 2021 Event The covid pandemic has provided more visibility for longstanding ageist attitudes and practices that run through the health care system, at times undermining the care and well-being of older adults in this country. KFF’s Kaiser Health News and The John A. Hartford Foundation held a 90-minute interactive web event on…
Voices of Paid and Family Caregivers for Medicaid Enrollees Receiving HCBS October 8, 2021 Issue Brief To help inform the ongoing debate, KFF conducted four focus groups in July and August 2021 with direct care workers and unpaid caregivers who provide HCBS, assisting seniors and people with disabilities with daily self-care and household activities. These focus groups are not necessarily generalizable to all caregivers, but can provide insight into their experiences to help inform current policy debates.
The Decline in COVID-19 Deaths Among Nursing Home Residents and Staff Reversed Course Amid the Surging Delta Variant This Summer October 1, 2021 News Release The months-long decline in COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents and staff reversed course this summer as the Delta variant dominated, with mortality increasing five-fold from 350 deaths in July to nearly 1,800 in August, finds a new KFF analysis. The analysis also finds increases in nursing home COVID-19 cases…
Nursing Homes Experienced Steeper Increase In COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in August 2021 Than the Rest of the Country October 1, 2021 Issue Brief This data note analyzes federal nursing home data through August 2021 to determine the ongoing impact of the pandemic on COVID-19 cases and deaths among staff and residents.
How Have States Used Medicaid Emergency Authorities During COVID-19 and What Can We Learn? August 26, 2021 Issue Brief This brief summarizes how states have used Medicaid emergency authorities related to the COVID-19 PHE, providing potential lessons for future public health and economic crises.
Once Common, COVID-19 Deaths in Long-Term Care Were Rare across Most States in June August 2, 2021 News Release Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, residents and staff at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities accounted for a huge share of COVID deaths, but a new KFF analysis finds that they were relatively rare events across the country in June. The analysis finds that 13 states and the District…
How Do CMS’s New COVID-19 Vaccine Reporting and Education Rules Apply To Different Long-Term Care Settings? June 16, 2021 Issue Brief Recognizing that ongoing vaccination efforts are crucial to ending the pandemic, CMS issued an Interim Final Rule with Comment Period (IFC) that establishes new vaccine reporting and/or education requirements for nursing homes and ICF/IDDs as of May 21st, 2021. Public comments are due July 12, 2021, after which CMS may revise the rule.
How Could $400 Billion New Federal Dollars Change Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services? July 16, 2021 Issue Brief This issue brief places the American Jobs Plan in the context of current Medicaid HCBS spending and considers how policymakers might allocate the new funding, as the proposal to date includes little detail.
Key Questions About COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates April 7, 2021 Issue Brief This issue brief explains the legal basis for vaccine mandates by the federal government, states, and private employers; highlights considerations for mandates while the COVID-19 vaccine is under an EUA; and discusses mandate exemptions based on disability or religious objection.