Affordable Care Act

Residents of rural communities face unique health care challenges, including fewer health care providers, higher rates of chronic disease, and lower adoption rates of health information technology. This October 13 briefing, cosponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform and the United Health Foundation, looked at the many provisions in the…

With much media discussion of the role that the Tea Party will play in the upcoming congressional midterm elections, the Kaiser Family Foundation took a closer look at Tea Party supporters using its most recent Health Tracking Poll data from September. While 57 percent of voters who do not support…

The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured convened a roundtable discussion on August 31, 2010 with a group of national and state experts to discuss key issues related to coordinating coverage and care in Medicaid and the new Health Insurance Exchanges under health reform. The Patient Protection and Affordable…

With a number of this fall’s candidates for public office advocating an overturn of the new health reform law, this Data Note takes a closer look at the variety of polls that have attempted to measure the public’s support for repeal. Data Note (.pdf) For an updated look on Americans’…

This brief examines how ACCESS, a web-based, self-service tool developed by the state of Wisconsin, helps Wisconsin residents find out whether they may be eligible for BadgerCare Plus and other public programs, as well as apply for benefits, check and renew benefits, and report changes to keep their eligibility current…

In the debates around the health reform law and its implementation, little attention has been given to the law’s provisions supporting long-term care. This briefing offered an overview of these provisions, such as the CLASS Act, a new national, voluntary insurance program to help working adults finance services and supports…

The new health reform law will require most U.S. citizens and legal residents to have health coverage by 2014. It provides new options for coverage by expanding Medicaid eligibility to more low-income people and creating a state-based system of health insurance Exchanges through which individuals can purchase coverage, with federal…

  This Medicare Advantage Data Spotlight provides an overview of recent changes made to the Medicare Advantage program and examines trends in plan participation, premiums and certain benefits. About 12 million people, or nearly a quarter of the Medicare population, are enrolled in Medicare Advantage, the privately administered plans that…

To Hospitalize or Not to Hospitalize? Medical Care for Long-Term Care Facility Residents This report explores factors that appear to drive relatively high rates of hospitalizations, based on interviews with doctors, nursing home staff and families in four cities. Key factors include liability concerns, limited onsite staff capabilities, difficulty reaching…

Medicare Spending and Use of Medical Services for Beneficiaries in Nursing Homes and Other Long‐Term Care Facilities: A Potential for Achieving Medicare Savings and Improving the Quality of Care This report documents the relatively high rates of hospital stays, emergency room visits and skilled nursing facility admissions among long-term care…