Analysis Compares President Trump and Democratic Nominee Biden on COVID-19 September 11, 2020 News Release Few issues are likely to matter as much to voters in November’s presidential election as President Trump’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis, which have left almost 200,000 Americans dead and prompted job layoffs and furloughs affecting tens of millions of Americans. A new election brief compares…
Comparing Trump and Biden on COVID-19 September 11, 2020 Issue Brief This issue brief compares President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden on their records, actions and proposals related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes a general overview of their respective approaches, followed by a detailed side-by-side.
Medicare’s Finances Have Gotten Much Worse in Recent Years, Foreshadowing Tough Choices for November’s Winners September 3, 2020 Blog This policy watch post discusses the latest Medicare Hospital Insurance trust fund solvency projections from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which show the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt Medicare’s financial outlook, and foreshadow the tough choices facing the next President and Congress.
The Veterans Health Administration’s Role During the COVID-19 Response August 6, 2020 Issue Brief A new issue brief examines the role of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) during the coronavirus pandemic, and public health emergencies more broadly. The analysis finds that the VHA has provided assistance to 46 states and D.C., including treating over 270 non-veteran patients with coronavirus.
How Could the Price of Remdesivir Impact Medicare Spending for COVID-19 Patients? July 14, 2020 Issue Brief This brief discusses how drugs provided in inpatient hospital settings are covered and reimbursed for beneficiaries in traditional Medicare under current law. This is relevant for Medicare spending on COVID-19 patients who receive Gilead’s new antiviral drug remdesivir. We discuss the implications for hospitals and the Medicare program of spending on remdesivir.
Comparing Private Payer and Medicare Payment Rates for Select Inpatient Hospital Services July 7, 2020 Issue Brief This issue brief analyzes hospital payments paid by private payers and by Medicare for a selection of inpatient services, including services requiring similar inpatient treatments to those used for COVID-19. It finds that private insurance payments for such services vary widely and exceed Medicare payment levels.
Where are the COVID-19 Hotspots? Tracking State Outbreaks June 30, 2020 Issue Brief This brief analyzes multiple COVID-19 metrics to determine which states the pandemic is moving in the wrong, or right, direction as an increasing number of cases could be the result of more testing or the result of increasing transmission, or a combination of both.
Update on COVID-19 Funding for Hospitals and Other Providers April 24, 2020 Blog This blog is an overview of the outstanding questions related to the $100 billion for hospitals and other providers in the CARES Act and whether there will be meaningful protections for the uninsured and people with private coverage who could face surprise bills.
Interactive Maps Highlight Urban-Rural Differences in Hospital Bed Capacity April 23, 2020 News Release As the U.S. coronavirus outbreak spreads beyond densely populated metropolitan areas, a new KFF analysis finds that rural areas typically have fewer intensive care hospital resources than their urban counterparts, and populations at greater risk of developing serious illness and complications from COVID-19. While metro and non-metro areas have similar numbers of…