The Year in Review: 10 Health Policy Issues for 2023 | KFF

Here’s a look at 10 issues that KFF followed closely this year along with a summary of some of our top findings:

Health care costs Continues to be a burden for many Americans: Our data shows that family health insurance premiums for employer coverage rose 7% this year to nearly $24,000 and were unaffordable for many workers at small employers. The Dying Broke series focused on how older Americans struggle. Paying for long-term care The health care affordability crisis continues to plague Americans and remains a key issue in the 2024 election. And, in the meantime Anti-obesity drugs Considered highly, coverage, cost, and access are uncertain. More than 100 million people in America, 41% of adults, have medical bills they can’t pay.

access to Abortion and contraception remain top issues for voters who voted last year in Roe v. After the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Wade. We tracked state abortion policy and litigation throughout the year, and also explored abortion rights across the U.S. Our newsroom dove into how the issue is faring nationally and state by state. Abortion also played a role in congressional debates over the reauthorization of PEPFAR, the signature US program that provides HIV prevention and treatment services to millions, saving more than 25 million lives over 20 years.

Medicaid enrollment Drowning began, with the expectation of more drops. Our annual survey of state Medicaid directors found that states expect national Medicaid enrollment to decline by 8.6% in fiscal year 2024 as state Medicaid agencies continue to implement ongoing pandemic-related enrollment protections. As of December 13, more than 12 million people have lost Medicaid. Some regained coverage later, so the net enrollment decline will be lower. Meanwhile, North Carolina just this month expanded its Medicaid programs to cover low-income adults, joining 39 other states and the District of Columbia.

Drug price negotiations have begun which were passed as part of last year’s anti-inflation legislation, but with considerable debate from the drug industry. Medicare Open Enrollment ends Dec. 7, and we’re hearing from Medicare beneficiaries about marketing practices, options they’re looking for, and their thoughts on their coverage. Most leaders allow their plans to renew automatically.

Covid was still a thing But Americans are starting to worry less about the outbreak, and their chances of getting sick, as our COVID-19 vaccine monitor shows. Interest in receiving the final booster declined even though most black and Hispanic adults expected to receive it while most white adults did not. Additionally, after the public health emergency declaration ended in May, finding and paying for a booster was confusing for many, prompting a cheat sheet to help find it.

wrong information Health issues persist, and KFF found that at least four in 10 people say they’ve heard each of 10 specific false claims, but relatively few people believe the claims are definitely true. Most of them are simply uncertainties, which create a confusing middle ground, which can be reached with reliable information from reliable sources, such as doctors and local TV news.

Promoting health equity remains an important issue for health policy practitioners and researchers. New KFF survey research shows that six in 10 black adults, about half of American Indian and Alaska Native and Hispanic adults, and four in 10 Asian adults say they prepare for and/or feel potentially insulted by providers or staff. does Care should be taken regarding their appearance, at least during occasional health care visits. KFF Health News also continued its coverage of how health outcomes differ based on race and ethnicity.

Is everything old then new? And, to end the year, we heard from former President Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who they want to replace or replace. Affordable Care Act (ACA). A KFFs poll shows that Americans overwhelmingly support the ACA, with twice as many Democratic voters (70%) as Republican voters (32%) saying it is the most important issue for candidates to debate. Additionally, this year has seen a record in the ACA market. KFF Health News explored the issues in its What’s Health podcast episode and in a summary of relevant media coverage.