7 in 10 Medicare Beneficiaries Report That They Did Not Compare Their Coverage Options During a Recent Open Enrollment Period October 13, 2021 News Release With the Medicare open enrollment period set to begin October 15, a new KFF analysis finds that 7 in 10 beneficiaries (71%) say that they didn’t compare their coverage options during a recent open enrollment season. Twenty-nine percent said they did compare Medicare plans. But not shopping around can have…
Large Majorities Across Parties Favor Allowing the Federal Government to Negotiate Drug Prices, Even After Hearing Common Arguments About It October 12, 2021 News Release Most of the Public Lacks Confidence that President Biden, Congressional Democrats or Republicans Will Do the Right Thing on Drug Prices Allowing the federal government to negotiate with drug companies to lower drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries and people enrolled in private plans – a key cost-saving proposal in the…
In Focus Groups, Direct Care Workers and Unpaid Caregivers Describe Low-Wage, Physically-Challenging Work That is Often Mentally Overwhelming and Marked By Uncertainty October 8, 2021 News Release In recent focus group interviews, 32 paid direct care workers and unpaid caregivers who assist seniors and people with disabilities with self-care and household activities describe daily work defined by low pay, physical demands and mental stress that has been made worse by the pandemic. KFF conducted the four focus…
As the COVID-19 Pandemic Evolves, Disparities in Cases and Deaths for Black and Hispanic People Have Narrowed October 8, 2021 News Release As the COVID-19 pandemic’s focus shifts from urban to rural areas, and more people resume public activities, a new KFF analysis of case and death data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals narrower disparities affecting Black and Hispanic people compared to White people now than earlier in…
Analysis Examines Insurance Coverage, Affordability and Access to Home and Community-Based Services for Children with Special Health Care Needs October 4, 2021 News Release A new KFF analysis examines key characteristics of children with special health care needs, the affordability and adequacy of their health coverage, and the implications for such children of potential new federal Medicaid money to assist families in caring for them. Medicaid is a significant source of coverage for medical,…
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…
Nearly Half of Parents of Adolescents Ages 12-17 Say Their Child Got a COVID-19 Vaccine Already; a Third of Parents of Children Ages 5-11 Say Their Child Will Get Vaccinated “Right Away” Once Eligible September 30, 2021 News Release Nearly half (48%) of parents of vaccine-eligible children ages 12-17 now say their child has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, a new KFF Vaccine Monitor report shows. Another 15% of those parents now say they want to “wait and see” how the vaccine works for others…
Surging Delta Variant Cases, Hospitalizations, and Deaths Are Biggest Drivers Of Recent Uptick in U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Rates September 28, 2021 News Release Large Majorities of Americans, Both Vaccinated and Not, Say COVID-19 is Likely to Persist at Lower Levels and Be Something the U.S. Will “Learn to Live With” like Seasonal Flu More than 7 in 10 adults (72%) in the U.S. now report that they are at least partially vaccinated against…
As PEPFAR Nears its Two-Decade Mark, New Analysis Finds That Mortality Declined Substantially in PEPFAR Countries Over the Course of the Program September 27, 2021 News Release A new KFF analysis finds the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program was associated with large declines in mortality in PEPFAR recipient countries since its creation in 2003. The new analysis takes a closer look at PEPFAR’s health impact by assessing the all-cause mortality rate in 90 PEPFAR…
How Marketplace Costs and Premiums Will Change if American Rescue Plan Subsidies Expire September 24, 2021 News Release In a new Policy Watch, KFF analysts explore the potential impact of the expiration of the American Rescue Plan Act’s enhanced financial help and new eligibility for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance Marketplace federal subsidies. While the COVID-19 relief legislation passed earlier this year provides greater subsidy assistance through…