2024 Medical Loss Ratio Rebates


Insurers estimate they will pay $1.1 billion in Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) rebates in 2024 to select individuals and employers that purchase their health coverage, according to a KFF analysis of preliminary data reported to state regulators. The estimated rebate for 2024 is larger than rebates issued in most prior years. Nearly $12 billion in […]

Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance 101


This Health Policy 101 chapter explores employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI), the primary health coverage source for non-elderly residents in the U.S. In addition to detailing ESI requirements and incentives, structure, availability, and costs, the chapter examines ongoing challenges related to affordability and access to care for those with ESI coverage.

The Regulation of Private Health Insurance


This Health Policy 101 chapter explores the complex landscape of private health insurance regulation in the United States, detailing the interplay between state and federal regulations that shape access, affordability, and the adequacy of private health coverage. It focuses on key laws such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Employer Retirement Income Security […]

States with the Fastest Recent Growth in ACA Marketplace Coverage Started with High Uninsured Rates


The states with the fastest recent growth in ACA Marketplace signups also had among the highest uninsured rates previously, as enhanced subsidies helped to make coverage more affordable for many consumers, particularly in southern states that did not expand their Medicaid programs to cover low-income adults, a new KFF analysis finds.  The enhanced premium subsidies…More

Coverage of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Medicare


This brief describes Medicare coverage of sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception, and compares that coverage with private insurance plans and Medicaid. These benefits are particularly relevant to nearly 1 million women of reproductive age (20-49) who are eligible for Medicare due to having a long-term disability.

SCOTUS Case Could Weaken the Impact of Regulation on Key Patient and Consumer Protections


This brief discusses the longstanding legal doctrine, Chevron deference, being challenged in two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and includes examples of what could be at stake for health care consumers should federal courts no longer use this doctrine to address litigation related to federal health regulations. The focus here is on patient and […]