Kaiser Family Foundation

Kaiser Family Foundation's (KFF) recent analysis examines the recently proposed rule by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), focusing on new requirements for nurse staffing levels in nursing facilities. The new proposed rule includes several provisions to bolster staffing in nursing homes. It proposes a minimum of 0.55 registered nurse (RN) and 2.45 nurse aide hours per resident day; requires facilities to have an RN on staff 24 hours per day, 7 days per week; strengthens staffing assessment and enforcement strategies; creates new reporting requirements regarding Medicaid payments for institutional long-term services and supports (LTSS); and provides $75 million for training for nurse aides...

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) released an updated version of their "Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker" on September 5th. This tracker provides state-level data on Medicaid/CHIP enrollment, unwinding, renewals, and other measures. Please note that while the tool includes national data reported by CMS, it has a lag of several months and may not reflect the most current Medicaid enrollment status.

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) has released an article examining the Medicare coverage options available to dual-eligible individuals, a population of 12.5 million enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid. The content outlines various coverage avenues designed for this population, including traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans, and Dual eligible special needs plans (D-SNPs). It emphasizes data analysis of enrollment patterns by demographic factors like race, age, and geographic location, offering insights into the complex landscape of dual-eligible coverage.

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) recently released an interactive map summarizing the current status of state Medicaid expansion decisions. This resource provides up-to-date information on the adoption of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) Medicaid expansion in different states, including details on legislative actions, executive actions, voter-led initiatives, and coverage expansions. View this interactive map to gain insights into the Medicaid expansion landscape and the efforts made by states to enhance healthcare accessibility for their populations.

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) released an updated version of their "Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker" on July 20th. This tracker provides state-level data on Medicaid/CHIP enrollment, unwinding, renewals, and other measures. Please note that while the tool includes national data reported by CMS, it has a lag of several months and may not reflect the most current Medicaid enrollment status.

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) released an updated version of their "Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker" on June 20th. This tracker provides state-level data on Medicaid/CHIP enrollment, unwinding, renewals, and other measures. Please note that while the tool includes national data reported by CMS, it has a lag of several months and may not reflect the most current Medicaid enrollment status.

A new report by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) presents findings from a survey and analysis of state Medicaid programs regarding crisis services. The survey reveals that while most states cover at least one core crisis service, there are gaps in coverage, particularly for adults under fee-for-service Medicaid. Additionally, the analysis explores the delivery, administration, and integration of behavioral health care within state Medicaid programs, highlighting the disproportionate share of adults with mental illness and substance use disorders covered by Medicaid. The report underscores the need for continued study and strategic policies to address access gaps and increased utilization of behavioral health services.

A KFF analysis estimates that life expectancy in the U.S. dropped 2.7 years between 2019 and 2021, from 78.8 years to 76.1 years, largely due to COVID-19 deaths. American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) people experienced the largest decline in life expectancy of 6.6 years during this time, followed by Hispanic and Black people (4.2 and 4.0 years, respectively). Also, provisional data for 2021 show that life expectancy was lowest for AIAN people at 65.2 years, followed by Black people, whose expectancy was 70.8 years, compared with 76.4 years for White people and 77.7 years for Hispanic people. It was highest for Asian people at 83.5 years...

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) has released a brief that gauges Medicaid enrollee’s knowledge of and preparedness for the Medicaid renewal process and possible disenrollment from the Medicaid program. The findings are based on a survey of health insurance consumers fielded between February 21, 2023, and March 14, 2023. Key findings indicate that most Medicaid enrollees were not aware that states are now permitted to resume disenrolling people from the Medicaid program, and nearly half of the Medicaid enrollees indicated they have not been through a renewal process, including two-thirds of older adults. The brief also notes that fewer older adults indicate they have provided updated contact information to their state Medicaid agency.

KFF unveiled their “Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker” featuring state-level Medicaid/CHIP enrollment data for the 50 states and the District of Columbia as well as any unwinding or monthly renewals, disenrollments, and other measures that may be available for states. The tracker also provides information on state-specific Medicaid renewal policies, eligibility policies, and system capacity measures. The tool includes national data on Medicaid enrollment as reported by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS); however, these data lag by several months and do not provide a current picture of net changes in Medicaid enrollment.