As Congress Looks to Reduce Federal Spending, Medicare and Medicaid Remain Broadly Popular, and At Least Twice as Many People Want to Increase Spending Rather Than Cut It January 17, 2025 News Release With the incoming Trump administration and Republican-led Congress looking to ways to reduce federal spending, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds that the Medicare and Medicaid programs remain broadly popular, and more people favor more spending on those programs than less spending. About eight in 10 Americans overall view…
Affordable Care Act Marketplace and Medicaid Expansion Enrollment Reached a Combined 44 Million in 2024 January 15, 2025 News Release A new KFF analysis finds that there were 44 million people enrolled in health coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplaces and its expansion of the Medicaid program in 2024. That represents about 1 in every 6 people under age 65, or 16.4%. There was significant variation in ACA…
Medicare Spent an Average of 27% More on People Who Switched from Medicare Advantage to Traditional Medicare Compared to Those Who Were Only in Traditional Medicare December 6, 2024 News Release A new KFF analysis finds higher Medicare spending among people who switched from Medicare Advantage to traditional Medicare than for similar beneficiaries who were in traditional Medicare all along. Medicare spent an average of 27% more on such beneficiaries, according to the analysis, which examined health costs in traditional Medicare…
Abortion Was a Motivating Factor for Many Voters in Tuesday’s Election But Ranked Lower Than Concerns About the Economy November 6, 2024 News Release Abortion drove many voters to turn out for Tuesday’s election, but not always for Vice President Kamala Harris, while concerns about the economy weighed more heavily on voters’ minds, according to polling data from KFF and the Associated Press.
After Pandemic-Era Policies and Enhanced Funding End, State Medicaid Officials Report Enrollment Declines and Upward Cost Pressures October 23, 2024 News Release States expect national Medicaid enrollment to decline by about 4% and state Medicaid spending to rise by 7% in fiscal year (FY) 2025. These rates follow a larger but anticipated enrollment decline and state spending increase in FY 2024, as pandemic-era policies and federal funding expired, according to KFF’s 24th…
KFF Revisits Women Voters Previously Surveyed in June and Finds Significant Shifts in VP Harris’ Favor Across a Range of Key Election Issues October 11, 2024 News Release In a special follow-up poll of the same women voters who were previously interviewed in June (before President Biden announced he wouldn’t run for reelection), KFF finds substantial shifts in favor of Vice President Harris across a range of key election issues, including the handling of rising household and health…
Annual Family Premiums for Employer Coverage Rise 7% to Average $25,572 in 2024, Benchmark Survey Finds, After Also Rising 7% Last Year October 9, 2024 News Release Family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose 7% this year to reach an average of $25,572 annually, KFF’s 2024 benchmark Employer Health Survey finds. On average, workers contribute $6,296 annually to the cost of family coverage. This marks the second year in a row that premiums are up 7%.…
Nearly Half of Metro Areas Have Only One or Two Hospitals or Health Systems Providing Inpatient Care October 1, 2024 News Release Nearly half (47%) of metropolitan areas across the country had only one or two hospitals or health systems providing general inpatient hospital care in 2022, a new KFF analysis finds.The analysis examines the extent of competition among hospitals amid a wave of hospital consolidation that has drawn the attention of…
Nearly 7 in 10 Medicare Beneficiaries Do Not Compare Coverage Options During Open Enrollment September 26, 2024 News Release With open enrollment less than a month away, a new KFF analysis suggests that the vast majority of the nation’s 67 million Medicare beneficiaries will not shop around among the coverage options for 2025 or switch plans. It’s a decision that could have a significant impact on enrollees’ coverage and…
Poll: As the Election Approaches, Most of the Public Say They Have Heard False Claims about Immigrants September 24, 2024 News Release With immigration and border security getting attention heading into November’s elections, a large majority of the public reports hearing false claims about immigrants from candidates or elected officials, and many immigrants say the rhetoric is negatively affecting how they are treated, a new KFF Health Misinformation Tracking Poll finds. Fielded…