GESTIÓN EN SALUD PÚBLICA

viernes, 20 de marzo de 2026

What to Know About Medicare Coverage of Telehealth Authors: Alex Cottrill, Juliette Cubanski, and Tricia Neuman Published: Mar 19, 2026

https://www.kff.org/medicare/what-to-know-about-medicare-coverage-of-telehealth/

Cost Concerns and Coverage Changes: A Follow-Up Survey of ACA Marketplace Enrollees Authors: Lunna Lopes, Isabelle Valdes, Grace Sparks, Mardet Mulugeta, and Ashley Kirzinger Published: Mar 19, 2026

https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/a-follow-up-survey-of-aca-marketplace-enrollees/

HEALTH CARE COSTS AND COVERAGE ++

HEALTH CARE COSTS AND COVERAGE ABC News: 1 In 10 ACA Enrollees Dropped Their Coverage Due To Rising Health Care Costs: Poll https://abcnews.com/Health/1-10-aca-enrollees-dropped-coverage-due-rising/story?id=131178596&utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9PN7US4jP4IqfhHvasV9uXNovh02y2x4ml_DVVP0cSYKuGWx8nEYel5Djo12EpMyWfN-49ylfKjGcLxspAlgLkzDOFWg&_hsmi=409751067&utm_content=409751067&utm_source=hs_email When Jessica Chamberlain went to sign up for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for 2026, she not prepared for the sticker shock. Last year, Chamberlain was paying $59.67 in monthly premiums. This year, she would be paying nearly $100. The 43-year-old mother of two from Illinois said she was floored to see her monthly premiums were nearly doubling. (Kekatos, 3/19) The CT Mirror: Senate Dems Propose Their Own $200M 'CT Option' Health Care Bill https://ctmirror.org/2026/03/19/ct-option-health-care-senate-dems/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--xWVRVya94PW1IgnkEcTHcDnJ0E1QOC0HNaqaAkFNj36QlBzaapdg-EhVVPuAYYPy4T3N_2KlRa8hL9nCLAjYESnji-g&_hsmi=409751067&utm_content=409751067&utm_source=hs_email 2026 is the year of the “Connecticut option.” On Thursday, the Human Services Committee passed a Connecticut option proposal put forth by Senate Democrats — separate from the policy proposal by the same name that Gov. Ned Lamont has been touting on the campaign trail and mentioned in his State of the State address in February. (Golvala, 3/19)

KFF Follow-Up Survey of Marketplace Enrollees: Following End of Enhanced Credits, Half of Marketplace Enrollees Now Say Costs Are a Lot Higher, Most Expect to Cut Back on Basic Household Expenses to Afford Coverage

https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/a-follow-up-survey-of-aca-marketplace-enrollees/?utm_campaign=KFF-Health-Costs&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9SehQugyAgfBPaW8rMjvh04Lc3uUE0pHqCmYlhLRsu8aPYCdvxBToCcQSz04i6T92-NbDgMBstEpG_X0Ca4Cb6EL2MyQ&_hsmi=409485493&utm_content=409485493&utm_source=hs_email One in 10 Dropped Their Marketplace Coverage and Are Now Uninsured and Three in 10 Switched ACA Plans, Most Citing High Costs Following the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits for people with Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans, a new KFF follow-up survey of the same Marketplace enrollees KFF surveyed in 2025 finds half (51%) of returning enrollees say their health care costs are “a lot higher” this year compared to last year, including four in 10 who specifically say their premiums are “a lot higher.” In all, a large majority (80%) of these enrollees say their health care costs, which can include premiums, deductibles, co-pays, or coinsurance, are higher. This new survey, which was fielded about a month after open enrollment ended in most states and before the grace period to make payments ends for many enrollees, re-interviewed Marketplace enrollees who shared their expectations for their coverage decisions late last year. It also finds that nearly one in six (17%) returning ACA Marketplace enrollees say they are not confident they will be able to afford their premiums this year. For those who kept the same Marketplace plans, the expiration of the ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits in 2025 is estimated to have increased annual premium payments by more than two-fold on average this year. Responding to Rising Health Costs Among those who re-enrolled in an ACA Marketplace plan, a majority (55%) say they have cut or plan to cut spending on food or other basic household expenses to afford their health care costs. The impact is even greater for those with chronic health conditions, more than six in 10 (62%) of whom say they are, or will be, cutting back on food and other basics. Bzua3-returning-marketplace-enrollees-are-paying-more-for-their-2026-aca-coverage-and-will-cut-back-on-spending-many-not-confident-they-can-afford-premiums-all-year- (1) Marketplace enrollees are also concerned about their ability to pay for both routine and unexpected medical expenses. About three in four (73%) returning Marketplace enrollees say they are “very worried” or “somewhat worried” about being able to afford costs for emergency care or hospitalizations while about half are worried about affording costs for routine medical visits (49%) or prescription drugs (45%). “The impacts on Marketplace enrollees we see in this follow-up survey will likely get worse as people struggle to make payments and the grace period many have expires,” KFF President and CEO Drew Altman said. For some, rising costs have already forced them to make tough choices. About one in 10 (9%) Marketplace enrollees dropped their ACA coverage and are now uninsured and another nearly three in 10 (28%) changed Marketplace plans. When asked why they decided to drop or change their coverage, most cited costs: A 63-year-old man in California describes why he is uninsured now: “The end of ACA subsidies caused a huge increase in premiums, the cost of which I could not afford.” 56-year-old man in Texas explains why he switched to a different Marketplace plan: “Income exceeded the subsidy limit, forcing us to pay the full cost, so we switched down to a bronze from a gold plan. Even doing that our premiums are 3 times what they were in 2025, with lower plan features and a higher deductible.” In all, seven in 10 (69%) of those who had ACA Marketplace coverage in 2025 have re-enrolled in a plan through the Marketplace, while others became eligible for different types of health insurance coverage either through an employer (5%) or through Medicare (4%) or Medicaid (7%). A small share (5%) purchased health plans outside of the ACA Marketplace, which typically provide less comprehensive coverage and have fewer consumer protections than Marketplace plans. Even in years with few policy changes, shifts across Marketplace plans or to other types of coverage are normal and often follow changes in employment, income, age, and other life circumstances. Looking Ahead to the Midterms Among returning Marketplace enrollees who saw higher health costs, seven in 10 (70%) blame health insurance companies “a lot” for their increased costs and at least half place “a lot” of blame on congressional Republicans (54%), President Trump (53%), or pharmaceutical companies (52%). While majorities of partisans place “a lot” of blame on lawmakers from the opposite party, independents with Marketplace coverage are more likely to say Congressional Republicans (56%) and President Trump (58%) deserve “a lot” of blame than Congressional Democrats (28%). Three-quarters of those who had Marketplace coverage in 2025 and are registered to vote say health care costs will affect their decision to vote (73%) and which party’s candidate they will support (74%). Democrats are more than twice as likely as Republicans to say it will have a major impact on their decision to vote (67% vs. 27%) and which candidate they may support (70% vs. 30%). Among independent voters, nearly half say the issue will have a major impact on their decision to vote (47%) and which candidate they will support (44%). Picture2-1 Designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at KFF, this survey, which builds on a 2025 survey of ACA Marketplace enrollees, re-interviewed more than 80% of the original sample to learn how they are navigating changes to the ACA Marketplace. The survey was conducted February 12 - March 2, 2026, online and by telephone, in English and in Spanish, among a nationally representative sample of 1,117 U.S. adults who had ACA Marketplace coverage in 2025 and completed the initial KFF survey. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus four percentage points for the full sample. For results based on other subgroups, the margin of sampling error may be higher.

Morning Briefing: Today's News Summaries Friday, Mar 20 2026 UPDATED 9:17 AM ++++++ + +

Morning Briefing: Today's News Summaries Friday, Mar 20 2026 UPDATED 9:17 AM 9% Of ACA Marketplace Enrollees Drop Coverage, Cite Rising Health Care Costs In a KFF poll, 80% of respondents said that all health care costs are higher than last year, and 55% said they will have to reduce spending on food and basic household expenses to afford care. Meanwhile, 9% have had to drop coverage altogether and are now uninsured. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/9-of-aca-marketplace-enrollees-drop-coverage-cite-rising-health-care-costs/ RFK Jr. Improperly Reshaped US Policy On Trans Health Care, Judge Rules The judge agreed with states that the government didn't follow long-standing procedures when it altered policy, noting, “The notion that ‘I will go forward and issue a declaration and see if we can get away with it’ is not a principle of governance.” Plus, the uncertainty of ACIP. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/rfk-jr-improperly-reshaped-us-policy-on-trans-health-care-judge-rules/ Georgia Woman, Suspected Of Taking Abortion Pill, Is Charged With Murder Georgia bans abortion after embryonic cardiac activity can be detected, usually about six weeks into a pregnancy. Medical records estimated the woman had been pregnant for 22 to 24 weeks, AP reported. Plus: Mississippi and Ohio lawmakers weigh abortion restrictions; Wyoming and Massachusetts note patient counts at clinics; and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/georgia-woman-suspected-of-taking-abortion-pill-is-charged-with-murder/ Fluoride Bans Will Increase Cavities In Kids, Medicaid Costs By Millions: Study The data analysis by CareQuest Institute for Oral Health shows that a significant increase in kids' cavities could raise Medicaid costs by over $40 million within three years. Florida banned community water fluoridation last year and is seeing an additional 52,131 children needing dental care. Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, and Oklahoma are all working on legislation to ban it or make it optional. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/fluoride-bans-will-increase-cavities-in-kids-medicaid-costs-by-millions-study/ Using A Weight Loss Drug? Get Ready For A Wave Of New Options About 10 weeks after the FDA approved a groundbreaking weight loss pill, federal regulators are now reviewing a second pill, CNN says. Meanwhile, the FDA says yes to a higher-dose Wegovy shot; results from Eli Lilly's newest medication show it reportedly helped diabetic patients lose more weight than any drug on the market; and Ozempic and Wegovy are going generic in Canada, India, and China. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/using-a-weight-loss-drug-get-ready-for-a-wave-of-new-options/ Type 1 Diabetes Tied To Higher Dementia Risk As Patients Live Longer Plus: A study found that higher meat intake was tied to better cognitive outcomes in people with a certain genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease, MedPage Today reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/type-1-diabetes-tied-to-higher-dementia-risk-as-patients-live-longer/ Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/longer-looks-interesting-reads-you-might-have-missed-256/ Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today's selections are on ICE detention, pacemakers, Candy Land, and more. Viewpoints: IUD Insertion Doesn’t Have To Be Painful; Loophole In No Surprises Act Is Being Exploited https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-iud-insertion-doesnt-have-to-be-painful-loophole-in-no-surprises-act-is-being-exploited/

Listen: Trump’s NIH ‘Reset’ Is Driving Away Scientists By Rachana Pradhan March 20, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/wamu-health-hub-listen-trump-nih-worker-exodus-scientists-public-health/ LISTEN: Fewer breakthroughs. Weaker responses to public health crises. That’s what some former National Institutes of Health scientists predict for the agency as thousands of researchers leave. Workers from the Washington, D.C., region spoke with KFF Health News senior correspondent Rachana Pradhan, and she appeared on WAMU’s “Health Hub” on March 18 to explain what’s behind the exodus.