Category: health costs

KFF Health Tracking Poll May 2024: The Public’s Use and Views of GLP-1 Drugs

KFF’s latest Health Tracking Poll examines the public’s views and use of an an increasingly popular class of prescription drugs used for weight loss and to treat diabetes or prevent heart attacks or strokes. The poll finds 12% of adults report having t…

Poll: 1 in 8 Adults Say They’ve Taken a GLP-1 Drug, Including 4 in 10 of Those with Diabetes and 1 in 4 of Those with Heart Disease 

About one in eight adults (12%) say they have taken one of an increasingly popular class of prescription drugs known as GLP-1s that are used for weight loss and to treat diabetes and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, a new KFF Health Trackin…

Medical Debt Among New Mothers

This analysis examines the share of new mothers who have significant medical debt (in excess of $250), compared to other young women who did not recently give birth, using data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP).

Ten Things to Know About Consolidation in Health Care Provider Markets

Mergers and acquisitions involving hospitals and other health care providers are drawing attention from federal and state regulators, including the Federal Trade Commission, and policymakers amid concerns that such consolidations can reduce competition…

Ten Things to Know About Consolidation in Health Care Provider Markets

As policymakers and regulators pay more attention to consolidation in health care provider markets, this brief examines and summarizes the evidence about consolidation, including recent trends, the impact on prices and quality, and proposals to address…

Gross Medicare Spending on Ozempic and Other GLP-1s Is Already Skyrocketing – Even Though Medicare Cannot Cover The Drugs for Weight Loss

A KFF analysis shows that gross total Medicare spending on Ozempic and other similar drugs has increased dramatically in recent years – even though Medicare is explicitly prohibited by law from covering the drugs for obesity. That’s because Medicare no…

Medicare Spending on Ozempic and Other GLP-1s Is Skyrocketing

This policy watch analyzes the latest data on Medicare Part D spending on GLP-1 drugs, initially approved to treat diabetes but in high demand as treatments for obesity, and shows how spending on these drugs has increased substantially in recent years….

Gaps in Data About Hospital and Health System Finances Limit Transparency for Policymakers and Patients

This brief describes gaps in data about hospital and health system finances and business practices that limit transparency for policymakers, researchers, and consumers. It examines data issues involving finances, debt collection practices, charity care…

What resources are available for privately insured patients who get surprise balance bills?

Most patients do not know about the new surprise billing protections and likely also do not know of resources available to seek recourse for incorrect medical bills. This brief provides resources to privately insured patients who receive surprise balan…

Medicare Households Spend More on Health Care Than Other Households

This brief examines the financial burden of health care spending among households where all members are covered by Medicare compared to non-Medicare households.