Medicaid News and Research

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Medicaid is the United States health program for eligible individuals and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the states and federal government, and is managed by the states.

Inpatient costs of treating COVID-19 in the U.S.

Study analyzes the average inpatient care costs for COVID-19 patients, revealing significant variations in expenses across pandemic waves and patient demographics.

7 Jan 2024

States begin tapping Medicaid dollars to combat gun violence

To tackle America's gun problem, a growing number of states are using Medicaid dollars to pay for community-based programs intended to stop shootings.

5 Jan 2024

Most people dropped in Medicaid ‘unwinding’ never tried to renew coverage, Utah finds

A first-of-its-kind survey of people who lost Medicaid coverage last year found just over half made no effort to renew their coverage — in many cases because they were unable to navigate paperwork requirements.

4 Jan 2024

States expand health coverage for immigrants as GOP hits Biden over border crossings

A growing number of states are opening taxpayer-funded health insurance programs to immigrants, including those living in the U.S. without authorization, even as Republicans assail President Joe Biden over a dramatic increase in illegal crossings of the southern border.

29 Dec 2023

Integrated care may not be the silver bullet for mental health treatment, study finds

Health care systems in the United States have gradually embraced the concept that mental health should be treated on par with physical health, especially in light of increased rates of anxiety and depression during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

28 Dec 2023

Bold changes are in store for Medi-Cal in 2024, but will patients benefit?

California's safety-net health program, Medi-Cal, is on the cusp of major changes that could rectify long-standing problems and improve health care for the state's low-income population.

22 Dec 2023

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': 2023 is a wrap

Even without covid dominating the headlines, 2023 was a busy year for health policy.

21 Dec 2023

A new test could save arthritis patients time, money, and pain. But will it be used?

Erinn Maury knew Remicade wasn't the right drug for Patti Schulte, a rheumatoid arthritis patient the physician saw at her Millersville, Maryland, practice. Schulte's swollen, painful joints hadn't responded to Enbrel or Humira, two drugs in the same class.

20 Dec 2023

Study reveals low rates of social factors documentation in healthcare

A new study provides the latest data on the low rates for screening and documenting Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) in healthcare settings.

19 Dec 2023

Patients facing death are opting for a lifesaving heart device — but at what risk?

Too old and too sick for a heart transplant, Arvid Herrman was given a choice: Have a mechanical pump implanted in his heart, potentially keeping him alive for several years, or do nothing and almost certainly die within a year.

19 Dec 2023

New doula benefit ‘life-changing’ for California mom

When Mia Bloomer found out she was pregnant with her fourth child, she wanted a different birth experience. She wanted to feel empowered, informed, and heard — elements she found lacking during her earlier births.

19 Dec 2023

In New Year, all immigrants in California may qualify for Medicaid regardless of legal status

Milagro, a Peruvian immigrant in Riverside County, California, has had spotty access to health care in the two decades she's been in this country.

18 Dec 2023

Outrageous hospital cost for colonoscopies compared to smaller clinics

U.S. hospitals charge facility fees for colonoscopy procedures covered by private health insurance that are on average approximately 55 percent higher than facility fees billed by smaller clinics known as ambulatory surgical centers, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

15 Dec 2023

‘Financial ruin is baked into the system’: Readers on the costs of long-term care

Thousands of readers reacted to the articles in the "Dying Broke" series about the financial burden of long-term care in the United States.

15 Dec 2023

COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates health inequities: Sexual minorities face greater uninsurance burden

Uninsurance rates among sexual minorities have increased steadily from their low in 2016 in the United States, affecting a population that has historically had fewer opportunities to access comprehensive health services, compared to heterosexual individuals.

14 Dec 2023

Poll: Vast majority of older adults think health insurers should cover obesity medications

The vast majority of older adults – 83% -- think health insurers should cover medications that can help people with obesity manage their weight, a new poll of people age 50 to 80 finds.

13 Dec 2023

Many patients may not benefit from gene-editing treatments for sickle cell disease

Federal approval of a breakthrough gene-editing technology that treats the pain and debilitating effects of sickle cell disease is cause for celebration among a community with few options for relief.

8 Dec 2023

Being Black and pregnant in the deep South can be a dangerous combination

O'laysha Davis was a few weeks shy of her due date when in mid-August she decided it was time to switch doctors.

8 Dec 2023

Dodging the Medicare enrollment deadline can be costly

Angela M. Du Bois, a retired software tester in Durham, North Carolina, wasn't looking to replace her UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plan. She wasn't concerned as the Dec. 7 deadline approached for choosing another of the privately run health insurance alternatives to original Medicare.

7 Dec 2023

Colorado blames Biden team and drugmakers for delaying Canadian imports

Colorado officials say their plan to import cheaper medicines from Canada has been stymied by opposition from drugmakers and inaction by the Biden administration, according to a state report obtained by KFF Health News.

7 Dec 2023

Medicaid News and Research

Inpatient costs of treating COVID-19 in the U.S.

States begin tapping Medicaid dollars to combat gun violence

Most people dropped in Medicaid ‘unwinding’ never tried to renew coverage, Utah finds

States expand health coverage for immigrants as GOP hits Biden over border crossings

Integrated care may not be the silver bullet for mental health treatment, study finds

Bold changes are in store for Medi-Cal in 2024, but will patients benefit?

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': 2023 is a wrap

A new test could save arthritis patients time, money, and pain. But will it be used?

Study reveals low rates of social factors documentation in healthcare

Patients facing death are opting for a lifesaving heart device — but at what risk?

New doula benefit ‘life-changing’ for California mom

In New Year, all immigrants in California may qualify for Medicaid regardless of legal status

Outrageous hospital cost for colonoscopies compared to smaller clinics

‘Financial ruin is baked into the system’: Readers on the costs of long-term care

COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates health inequities: Sexual minorities face greater uninsurance burden

Poll: Vast majority of older adults think health insurers should cover obesity medications

Many patients may not benefit from gene-editing treatments for sickle cell disease

Being Black and pregnant in the deep South can be a dangerous combination

Dodging the Medicare enrollment deadline can be costly

Colorado blames Biden team and drugmakers for delaying Canadian imports

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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