Demographics and Health Insurance Coverage of Nonelderly Adults With Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders in 2020 June 6, 2022 Issue Brief In this issue brief, we use 2020 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) to examine key characteristics, coverage and health status of nonelderly adults with mental illness or substance use disorders to help inform ongoing federal and state efforts to improve quality and expand access.
The Uncertain Future of Policies to Promote Access and Affordability Put in Place During the COVID-19 Pandemic May 19, 2022 Perspective In this column for the JAMA Health Forum, Larry Levitt highlights four changes implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic that helped to make health care more accessible and affordable and the prospects for those changes to telehealth, COVID-19 coverage, Medicaid and marketplace premiums continuing beyond the pandemic’s end.
Employer Coverage of Travel Costs for Out-of-State Abortion May 16, 2022 Blog This Policy Watch gives an overview of employers offering to cover travel expenses for workers who need to go out of state for an abortion in the context of increasing restrictions on abortion around the country. We discuss who is offering these benefits, the implications for workers, and some of the legal and political concerns for employers.
Unwinding the PHE: What We Can Learn From Pre-Pandemic Enrollment Patterns May 10, 2022 Issue Brief This brief examines typical enrollment patterns for Medicaid and CHIP and uses 2018 Medicaid claims data to gain insight into the effects of the continuous enrollment requirements by eligibility group. Roughly 2% of Medicaid enrollees come on or leave the program in an average month, although there is variation across eligibility groups. A policy to require continuous enrollment would result in sharp reductions in monthly disenrollment rates and would also reduce monthly enrollment rates due to reductions in churn.
Ending COVID-19 Emergency Declarations Will Bring an End to Flexibilities that Aided Patients, Providers, Insurers, and Public Programs in Responding to the Pandemic April 8, 2022 News Release 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…
States Look to Bolster Maternal Health April 1, 2022 Slide Starting April 1, states have a new option to extend Medicaid postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months without having to seek a waiver.
Out-of-Pocket Charges for Rape Kits and Services for Sexual Assault Survivors March 18, 2022 Issue Brief Although federal legislation intends to provide no-cost rape kits to all survivors of sexual violence, some survivors still face out-of-pocket charges for minimum standard rape kit services as well as other medical care that takes place following a sexual assault. This brief examines the policies that impact coverage of health care services for survivors of sexual assault and identifies gaps in those programs and coverage for their care, particularly for women with private health insurance.
Without Build Back Better, Will the End of the Public Health Emergency Leave Even More People Uninsured? March 2, 2022 Blog Continuous enrollment in Medicaid and enhanced premium assistance have helped millions afford and maintain coverage, but those gains could be reversed as the public emergency ends and if the provisions like those in the Build Back Better Act fail to pass.
Medicaid Covers a Disproportionate Share of Women in Underserved Populations February 18, 2022 Slide In 2020, Medicaid covered 16% of nonelderly adult women in the United States, but coverage rates were higher among certain groups.
People With HIV in Non-Medicaid Expansion States: Who Could Gain Coverage Eligibility Through Build Back Better or Future Expansion? February 15, 2022 Issue Brief In this analysis, we explore the implications of the Build Back Better Act’s current coverage provisions for people with HIV in select non-expansion states. We estimate the size of the population that could gain eligibility as well as their socio-demographic characteristics, examine their affordability barriers and assess the potential impact on the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. We also explore what Medicaid expansion could mean in these non-expansion states for people with HIV.