Vaccine Monitor: Women and Younger Adults Hit Hardest by Mental Health Impacts Due to COVID-19 April 14, 2021 News Release Gender and age differences are revealed in a new analysis that finds nearly seven in ten (69%) young women ages 18 to 29 say the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted their mental health, compared to smaller shares of women who are older and men across all age groups. By mid-2020…
Private Insurers Are Expected to Pay $2.1 Billion in Rebates to Consumers This Year for Excessive Health Insurance Premiums Relative to Health Care Expenses April 12, 2021 News Release Private insurance companies are expecting to pay out $2.1 billion in rebates to consumers this fall, the second highest amount ever issued under the Affordable Care Act, according to a new KFF analysis. The rebates, which are calculated based on the share of premium revenues that insurance companies paid out…
Analysis: Hospital Price Transparency Data Lacks Standardization, Limiting Its Use to Insurers, Employers, and Consumers April 9, 2021 News Release In spite of a new price transparency rule that requires hospitals to publish the prices of common health services, comparing prices across hospitals remains challenging due to limited compliance with the law and a lack of standardization in the available data, a new KFF analysis finds. The federal rule, which…
Vaccine Monitor: More than Half of Rural Residents Have Gotten a COVID-19 Vaccine or Intend to Do So as Soon as Possible April 9, 2021 News Release More than half (54%) of rural adults say they have already gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or will do so as soon as possible, as rural residents report less issues with both supply and access than those living in urban and suburban areas, according to a…
Compared to Peer Countries, the U.S. Had the Highest Rate of Mortality Among People Under Age 65 and Potential Years of Life Lost in 2020 Due to the Pandemic April 8, 2021 News Release A new KFF issue brief examines 2020 data on excess mortality – the number of deaths above what is expected in a typical year – and finds that among similarly large and wealthy nations, the United States had the highest premature excess mortality rate in 2020, indicating that younger people…
Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates April 7, 2021 News Release As the vaccine rollout continues across the country, a key question is whether and how far governments and employers can go to require the public and workers to get vaccinated. Our new issue brief explains the legal basis for vaccine mandates and what limitations might apply.
Analysis Estimates 5.1 Million People Fall into the Affordable Care Act’s “Family Glitch” April 7, 2021 News Release A new KFF analysis estimates 5.1 million people nationally fall into the Affordable Care Act’s “family glitch” that occurs when a worker receives an offer of affordable employer coverage for themselves but not for their dependents, making them ineligible for financial assistance for marketplace coverage. The so-called glitch occurs because…
KFF/Post Survey Reveals the Serious Mental Health Challenges Facing Frontline Health Care Workers a Year into the COVID-19 Pandemic April 6, 2021 News Release About 1 in 6 Tested Positive for COVID-19, though Few Experienced Major Symptoms; Those Working in Nursing Homes or Assisted Living Facilities Most Likely to Report Testing Positive More than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, a majority of frontline health care workers say the crisis is taking a toll…
KHN and Guardian US Win Batten Medal for “Lost on the Frontline” April 5, 2021 News Release The News Leaders Association (NLA) awarded KFF’s Kaiser Health News (KHN) and Guardian US the 2021 Batten Medal for Coverage of the Coronavirus Pandemic for their year-long “Lost on the Frontline” investigation documenting the lives of more than 3,600 health care workers in the U.S. who died of COVID-19 after…
Vaccine Monitor: 6 in 10 Adults Have Either Gotten a COVID-19 Vaccine or Want To “as Soon as Possible;” “Wait and See” Group Continues To Shrink March 30, 2021 News Release Among Those Who Have Not Been Vaccinated, 3 in 10 Are Unsure if They are Eligible Yet; Hispanic Adults and People with Low Incomes More Likely to Be Unsure The latest KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor report finds enthusiasm for getting a COVID-19 vaccine continuing to grow, with roughly 6 in…