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KFF
@kff.org
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The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
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kff.org
State Medicaid programs shared insights into the challenges they anticipate when implementing work requirements next year: https://on.kff.org/3LLhQHu
Chart titled 'States Report a Variety of Challenges With Implementing New Medicaid Work Requirements'. The chart lists challenges by categories: System Changes, Implementation Timeline, Staff Capacity, Fiscal Impact, and Applicant and Enrollee Issues. Each category details specific implementation challenges faced by states according to a 2019-2020 KFF survey of state Medicaid officials. Examples include system upgrades, pressure to make system changes in a short timeline, training needs for staff, potential increased cost due to accelerated timelines and changes, and potential confusion among applicants and enrollees.
November 10, 2025 at 7:01 PM
kff.org
After ACA protections for people with preexisting conditions began in 2014, average claims costs in the individual market became more similar to those in the employer market.

Monthly group market claims per person now average $512 vs. $467 in individual: https://on.kff.org/47srt6D
KFF-Peterson Health System Tracker chart titled “Average Claims Costs in the Individual and Employer Insurance Markets Have Been Similar Since 2015, After ACA Implementation.” The chart shows claims paid out for the provision of health services per member per month, by market segment (group or individual), 2010-2024. In 2024, the claims paid out for groups was $512 and for individual it was $467.
November 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
kff.org
Our brief examines federal and state programs and policies on sex education and summarizes what’s known about their impact on teen sexual behavior and health.

The brief also reviews sex education models and funding streams. More: https://on.kff.org/3Lj9CXb
KFF graphic titled “While most states require sex and/org HIV education to be taught in schools, the standards and content vary greatly.” The graphic shows a map of the US and shows the type of education mandate and content requirement in each state.
November 9, 2025 at 7:43 PM
kff.org
About half of the public correctly says undocumented immigrants aren’t eligible to buy ACA marketplace coverage.

About 1 in 7 incorrectly say that they are eligible to buy marketplace coverage, while the rest are not certain. More in our poll: https://on.kff.org/47ZwwLO
KFF stacked bar chart showing the public's knowledge on whether undocumented immigrants are or are not eligible for Affordable Care Act coverage.
November 9, 2025 at 6:42 PM
kff.org
Our latest poll shows what voters say about who they trust to do a better job on the future of the ACA and addressing the high cost of health insurance ⤵️

See more details in our full report: https://on.kff.org/47ZwwLO
KFF stacked bar chart showing the levels of trust adults have in the Democrats or the Republicans to do a better job addressing the future of the Affordable Care Act and the high cost of insurance.
November 8, 2025 at 7:14 PM
kff.org
How are states preparing for Medicaid work requirements?

Many are anticipating a variety of implementation challenges, including challenges due to system changes, timelines, and staff capacity: https://on.kff.org/3LLhQHu
Chart titled 'States Report a Variety of Challenges With Implementing New Medicaid Work Requirements'. The chart lists challenges by categories: System Changes, Implementation Timeline, Staff Capacity, Fiscal Impact, and Applicant and Enrollee Issues. Each category details specific implementation challenges faced by states according to a 2019-2020 KFF survey of state Medicaid officials. Examples include system upgrades, pressure to make system changes in a short timeline, training needs for staff, potential increased cost due to accelerated timelines and changes, and potential confusion among applicants and enrollees.
November 7, 2025 at 9:38 PM
kff.org
New from KFF and Peterson Center on Healthcare: Read about the types of patients and health conditions that use remote monitoring technologies as well as what is spent on these services.

🔗: https://on.kff.org/46x9XxX
Table shows the distribution of total monthly spending on remote monitoring in 2023, including physiologic and therapeutic, the median of which was $55 and $78, respectively.
November 7, 2025 at 8:24 PM
kff.org
More than half (55%) of those who purchase their own health insurance — most via the ACA marketplaces — say Democrats should refuse to approve a budget unless it includes extending the ACA enhanced premium tax credits, even if it means the government remains shut down. https://on.kff.org/47ZwwLO
KFF split bar chart showing the shares of adults who believe Democrats in Congress should refuse to approve a budget before extending marketplace tax credits even if government remains shut down versus should approve a budget without extending marketplace tax credits to end the government shutdown.
November 7, 2025 at 7:12 PM
kff.org
77% of public schools reported storing naloxone — a nasal spray to reverse opioid overdose — on campus in the 2024-25 school year.

School nurses, security personnel, and administrative staff were the most likely to be trained to administer it during an emergency. https://on.kff.org/4ojhDde
KFF bar chart showing the share of public schools that store naloxone as of the 2024-2025 school year for all public schools, by neighborhood poverty level, percent of students of color, and school level. Across all public schools the share is 77%.
November 7, 2025 at 5:13 PM
kff.org
Among those who want ACA enhanced premium tax credits extended, most say that either Congressional Republicans (38%) or President Trump (37%) would deserve most of the blame if they weren’t extended.

Fewer say they’d blame Congressional Democrats (23%): https://on.kff.org/47ZwwLO
KFF stacked bar chart showing who the public, among those who support extending enhanced tax credits, would blame if Congress does not extend these enhanced tax credits.
November 7, 2025 at 3:05 PM
kff.org
KFF’s @larrylevitt.bsky.social explains the details around the ACA enhanced premium tax credits set to expire at the end of the year.

“There would be some ripple effects in the rest of the economy, the rest of the healthcare system,” he says on @economist.com’s “Checks and Balance” podcast.
November 7, 2025 at 2:30 PM
kff.org
On average, per-member health insurance premiums and claims for individual market, including ACA plans, and employer-sponsored plans have become more similar over time: https://on.kff.org/47srt6D
Average claims costs in the individual and employer insurance markets have been similar since 2015, after ACA implementation. Chart shows claims paid out for the provision of health services per member per month, by market segment, 2010-2024
November 7, 2025 at 1:53 PM
kff.org
When asked about Congressional Democrats’ strategy of refusing to approve a budget unless it includes extending these tax credits, even if it means the government remains shut down, partisans firmly align with their party’s position.

See the details ⤵️
Split bar chart showing the shares of adults who believe Democrats in Congress should refuse to approve a budget before extending marketplace tax credits even if government remains shut down versus should approve a budget without extending marketplace tax credits to end the government shutdown.
November 6, 2025 at 7:10 PM
kff.org
Average premiums and claims are similar for ACA individual and employer-sponsored markets.

However, 2026 premiums are likely to grow faster in the individual market due in part to the expected expiration of the ACA enhanced premium tax credits: https://on.kff.org/47srt6D
Average claims costs in the individual and employer insurance markets have been similar since 2015, after ACA implementation. Chart shows claims paid out for the provision of health services per member per month, by market segment, 2010-2024
November 6, 2025 at 4:51 PM
kff.org
KFF’s latest poll finds little change in the public’s views on extending the ACA enhanced tax credits since before the shutdown began, with three quarters (74%) of the public in favor of extending them.

However, support among Republicans has dipped. https://on.kff.org/47ZwwLO
KFF chart titled “a majority of the public says Congress should extend ACA tax credits, though Republican and MAGA support has declined from last month.” The chart shows the percent who say Congress should extend the enhanced premium tax credits rather than let them expire in September 2025 and November 2025. The chart shows the difference among total adults, Democrats, Independents, Republicans, and MAGA Supporters.
November 6, 2025 at 4:05 PM
kff.org
New KFF polling shows that as the government shutdown continues, public support remains high for extending the enhanced ACA tax credits set to expire at the end of the year — with three quarters (74%) of the public in favor of extending them.

Full poll findings: https://on.kff.org/47ZwwLO
KFF graphic highlighting 74% that says “three-quarters of the public support extending the enhanced premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act Marketplace coverage.” The graphic has a donut chart in the top right corner with 74% colored in.
November 6, 2025 at 2:05 PM
kff.org
KFF combines policy research, polling and journalism in one organization.

In his latest column, KFF President and CEO @drewaltman.bsky.social addresses occasional confusion about our name, how we operate, how to describe KFF, and why we’re called KFF today.

🔗: https://on.kff.org/47FETuR
Quote from KFF President and CEO Drew Altman: “KFF is a policy research organization, a polling and survey research organization, and a news organization, all in one. Those are our three main operating programs or divisions. The theory of the organization is to focus the policy research, the polling and the journalism on the same mission and the same issues at the same time, to give us the presence, reach and punch to play our role as an independent voice and source of information on national health issues. We’re a one-of-a-kind combination of all three — a different kind of information organization.”
November 5, 2025 at 8:17 PM
kff.org
⚡ KFF’s @ashleykirzinger.bsky.social explores what Tuesday’s elections tell us about the importance of addressing health care costs in both policy debates and electoral choices. #QuickTake https://on.kff.org/47I4ymu
KFF graphic featuring a quote from Ashley Kirzinger, KFF Associate Director, Public Opinion and Survey Research. It says, “After Tuesday’s elections, it is becoming increasingly difficult to disentangle concerns about the economy and concerns about health care as costs become the most pressing health care issue for voters...”
November 5, 2025 at 6:51 PM
kff.org
Public schools in the U.S. have ramped up education about the dangers of the synthetic opioid fentanyl after drug overdose death rates among adolescents sharply increased during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic (before slowing in 2023). https://on.kff.org/4ojhDde
KFF bar chart showing the overall drug overdose death rates among adolescents, 2019-2024. In 2019 it was 1.1; 2020 2.2; 2021 2.4; 2022 2.8; 2023 2.7; and 2024 1.7.
November 5, 2025 at 6:51 PM
kff.org
How much more would ACA Marketplace enrollees pay if the enhanced premium tax credits expire at the end of this year?

Our updated calculator shows how costs would rise — based on zip code, income, age, and family size — if those credits aren’t extended: https://on.kff.org/4olBSa4
Graphic depicting a webpage interface from the KFF, titled "Estimate How Much You Would Pay in Premiums With and Without the ACA's Enhanced Premium Tax Credits." The image shows an illustrated version of the form to enter household information with a submit button, and a section displaying potential cost increase for a silver plan if enhanced tax credits expire.
November 5, 2025 at 6:12 PM
kff.org
#ICYMI: Our explainer highlights 8 key issues to watch in the 2026 open enrollment period, including looming changes to the enhanced premium tax credits, higher premium payments, changes to Marketplace eligibility rules, and more. https://on.kff.org/432BLHT
Infographic titled 'Changes to Watch in 2026 ACA Open Enrollment Period' by KFF. Highlights four key changes: Premium payments; tax repayments; Higher deductibles; Fewer navigators. The graphic uses different color circles and relevant icons for each topic.
November 4, 2025 at 5:22 PM
kff.org
52% of public schools offered some type of fentanyl education to students in the 2024-2025 school year.

The most common method was through classroom instruction (30%), followed by school assemblies (22%) and events held for school families (22%). https://on.kff.org/4ojhDde
KFF bar chart titled ‘3 in 10 public schools incorporate education on the dangers of fentanyl into classroom instruction.’ The chart shows the shares of public schools utilizing the following methods to educate students on fentanyl: classroom instruction (30%); assemblies/guest speakers held during school hours (22%); events for families held outside of school hours (22%); events for students held outside of school hours (12%); other (13%); any of the above (52%).
November 3, 2025 at 7:58 PM
kff.org
In Medicare Advantage in 2022, just over half (54%) of physicians available to traditional Medicare beneficiaries were in-network in PPO plans, on average, vs 45% in HMO plans.

Even so, many HMO plans included more physicians than the average PPO plan did. https://on.kff.org/3Lf8PX3
KFF chart titled “on average, PPO plans are broader, but many HMO plans have wider networks than PPO plans.” The barbell chart shows the share of physicians included in provider networks by plan type in 2022 for PPO and HMO plans.
November 3, 2025 at 6:05 PM
kff.org
Medicare Advantage plans appeal to beneficiaries because they offer extra benefits and cap out-of-pocket costs. But the plans’ provider networks limit enrollees’ choice of physicians, hospitals, and other providers unless they pay extra costs.

Learn more: https://on.kff.org/3Lf8PX3
KFF bar chart titled “the average Medicare Advantage enrollee is in a plan that includes less than half of the physicians available to traditional Medicare beneficiaries.” The chart shows the share of physicians included in-network in 2022 among 20th percentile of Medicare Advantage enrollees (32%), Average Medicare Advantage enrollee (48%), and 80th percentile of Medicare Advantage enrollees (63%).
November 2, 2025 at 8:00 PM
kff.org
How are employers approaching and managing the cost of covering GLP-1 drugs for weight loss?

Here’s what some said in our focus groups. Read the full analysis for more: https://on.kff.org/47iU4tx
KFF graphic highlighting a focus group quote: “We are trying to decide how to manage this crazy cost of the GLP-1s. We made changes and grandfathered in a whole host of individuals. In January of 2024 we put in the requirement that you have type 2 diabetes for certain GLP-1s, and then we put in a BMI of 35 or higher for the weight loss GLP-1s.” — HR Leader, Large Manufacturer Source: Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker focus groups with U.S. employers and health benefit consultants, summer and fall 2025. KFF graphic highlighting a focus group quote: “We kept trying all the different processes to slow the growth and it was still doubling every year. Our leadership team proposed gatekeeping with [an online weight-loss management program]. And they’re like, no, we can’t afford this at all, so we’re cutting off [coverage for GLP-1 agonists for weight loss]. The letters are going out this week to tell people.” — Director of Benefits Strategy, Large Manufacturer Source: Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker focus groups with U.S. employers and health benefit consultants, summer and fall 2025. KFF graphic highlighting a focus group quote: “We’re certainly keeping an eye on our cost and then we’ll reevaluate every year. And I think we’ll get to a point where we do maybe grandfather people that are on them now. But anybody new wanting to come into the program or anybody new wanting a GLP-1 would have to participate in [a health coaching program].” — HR Director, Large Manufacturer Source: Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker focus groups with U.S. employers and health benefit consultants, summer and fall 2025. KFF graphic highlighting a focus group quote: “We were covering [GLP-1 agonists for weight loss] and they tripled our cost. I mean, the cost just kept going up. So [now], we cover it for prescribed conditions. We reached out to all those that were on it and we gave them a period of time when we offered coaching and other programs to them. But it’s purely how can we manage that cost right now? We know it’s coming down the pipeline. It’s getting approved for so many other conditions, but how do we wrap our hands around [GLP-1’s] and make sure everything is affordable for our whole population?” — Manager of Compensation and Benefits Administration, Large Retail Employer Source: Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker focus groups with U.S. employers and health benefit consultants, summer and fall 2025.
November 2, 2025 at 6:24 PM