Larry Levitt
@larrylevitt.bsky.social
Executive Vice President for Health Policy, KFF. Cal Bear.
https://www.kff.org/person/larry-levitt/
https://www.kff.org/person/larry-levitt/
Reposted by Larry Levitt
New piece from @kff.org highlights policy changes regarding immigration enforcement at health care facilities and discusses their impacts on the health and safety of the community amid reports of increased ICE presence in and around hospitals in Minnesota
www.kff.org/quick-take/h...
www.kff.org/quick-take/h...
January 22, 2026 at 7:34 PM
New piece from @kff.org highlights policy changes regarding immigration enforcement at health care facilities and discusses their impacts on the health and safety of the community amid reports of increased ICE presence in and around hospitals in Minnesota
www.kff.org/quick-take/h...
www.kff.org/quick-take/h...
If we're going to talk about the role health insurers play in the cost of health care, we should be talking more about Medicare Advantage than the ACA.
www.kff.org/medicare/hea...
www.kff.org/medicare/hea...
January 22, 2026 at 3:30 PM
If we're going to talk about the role health insurers play in the cost of health care, we should be talking more about Medicare Advantage than the ACA.
www.kff.org/medicare/hea...
www.kff.org/medicare/hea...
Reposted by Larry Levitt
Try it. Entertaining way to quickly learn key info about ACA.
I dare you to try to take our new ACA quiz and get 10 out of 10 correct.
www.kff.org/affordable-c...
www.kff.org/affordable-c...
Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of the Affordable Care Act | KFF
Take this ten-question quiz to see how much you know about how the ACA affects health insurance coverage and costs as well as who is eligible for financial assistance
www.kff.org
January 21, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Try it. Entertaining way to quickly learn key info about ACA.
Reposted by Larry Levitt
This is fascinating for the wrong reasons. Rarely have I seen California and Texas light up the same color on a data map, and in this case it’s because their rural residents are both getting the short end of the stick when it comes to federal funding …
New: With first year awards from the rural health transformation fund out, our analysis shows wide variation in the amount per rural resident across states.
www.kff.org/state-health...
www.kff.org/state-health...
January 21, 2026 at 3:52 PM
This is fascinating for the wrong reasons. Rarely have I seen California and Texas light up the same color on a data map, and in this case it’s because their rural residents are both getting the short end of the stick when it comes to federal funding …
Reposted by Larry Levitt
It's a hard test!
I dare you to try to take our new ACA quiz and get 10 out of 10 correct.
www.kff.org/affordable-c...
www.kff.org/affordable-c...
Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of the Affordable Care Act | KFF
Take this ten-question quiz to see how much you know about how the ACA affects health insurance coverage and costs as well as who is eligible for financial assistance
www.kff.org
January 21, 2026 at 3:21 PM
It's a hard test!
I dare you to try to take our new ACA quiz and get 10 out of 10 correct.
www.kff.org/affordable-c...
www.kff.org/affordable-c...
Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of the Affordable Care Act | KFF
Take this ten-question quiz to see how much you know about how the ACA affects health insurance coverage and costs as well as who is eligible for financial assistance
www.kff.org
January 21, 2026 at 3:16 PM
I dare you to try to take our new ACA quiz and get 10 out of 10 correct.
www.kff.org/affordable-c...
www.kff.org/affordable-c...
Insurance companies are not the primary driver of health care costs. It's hospitals.
But, it’s also not clear that we’re getting a lot of value from insurers in driving down health care costs.
But, it’s also not clear that we’re getting a lot of value from insurers in driving down health care costs.
January 21, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Insurance companies are not the primary driver of health care costs. It's hospitals.
But, it’s also not clear that we’re getting a lot of value from insurers in driving down health care costs.
But, it’s also not clear that we’re getting a lot of value from insurers in driving down health care costs.
Health care one year into the Trump administration:
A trillion dollars in health care cuts.
Expiration of enhanced ACA premium subsidies.
Narrowing vaccine recommendations.
Cutting off funds to Planned Parenthood.
Deals with drug companies with unclear reductions in prices.
A trillion dollars in health care cuts.
Expiration of enhanced ACA premium subsidies.
Narrowing vaccine recommendations.
Cutting off funds to Planned Parenthood.
Deals with drug companies with unclear reductions in prices.
January 20, 2026 at 2:25 PM
Health care one year into the Trump administration:
A trillion dollars in health care cuts.
Expiration of enhanced ACA premium subsidies.
Narrowing vaccine recommendations.
Cutting off funds to Planned Parenthood.
Deals with drug companies with unclear reductions in prices.
A trillion dollars in health care cuts.
Expiration of enhanced ACA premium subsidies.
Narrowing vaccine recommendations.
Cutting off funds to Planned Parenthood.
Deals with drug companies with unclear reductions in prices.
Reposted by Larry Levitt
Also spotted: Funding cost-sharing reductions and ending so-called "silver loading," which will reduce overall federal spending but increase many Marketplace enrollees' after-subsidy premiums.
President Trump is suggesting here that people could use government subsidies to buy insurance that doesn’t comply with ACA rules, including coverage of pre-existing conditions. That could lower costs for healthy people, but send the ACA marketplace into a death spiral.
January 15, 2026 at 5:43 PM
Also spotted: Funding cost-sharing reductions and ending so-called "silver loading," which will reduce overall federal spending but increase many Marketplace enrollees' after-subsidy premiums.
President Trump is suggesting here that people could use government subsidies to buy insurance that doesn’t comply with ACA rules, including coverage of pre-existing conditions. That could lower costs for healthy people, but send the ACA marketplace into a death spiral.
January 15, 2026 at 5:10 PM
President Trump is suggesting here that people could use government subsidies to buy insurance that doesn’t comply with ACA rules, including coverage of pre-existing conditions. That could lower costs for healthy people, but send the ACA marketplace into a death spiral.
ACA signups are down by over a million with open enrollment ending and enhanced tax credits expired, but there are two things we still don't know:
How many will decline to "effectuate" their coverage with higher net premiums?
How many will switch to higher deductible plans?
How many will decline to "effectuate" their coverage with higher net premiums?
How many will switch to higher deductible plans?
January 14, 2026 at 3:56 PM
ACA signups are down by over a million with open enrollment ending and enhanced tax credits expired, but there are two things we still don't know:
How many will decline to "effectuate" their coverage with higher net premiums?
How many will switch to higher deductible plans?
How many will decline to "effectuate" their coverage with higher net premiums?
How many will switch to higher deductible plans?
Reposted by Larry Levitt
Note that this would number would *include* people who were auto-renewed but declined to pay their January premium.
The full fallout from nonpayment will play out over months, but the earliest we'd have any data on nonpayment-related attrition — because of the three-month grace period — is April.
The full fallout from nonpayment will play out over months, but the earliest we'd have any data on nonpayment-related attrition — because of the three-month grace period — is April.
The federal government has announced that 22.8 million people have signed up for ACA marketplace coverage for this year, down 1.5 million from last year with enhanced tax credits expiring. The coverage loss will likely grow as people don’t actually make their premium payments.
January 12, 2026 at 10:07 PM
Note that this would number would *include* people who were auto-renewed but declined to pay their January premium.
The full fallout from nonpayment will play out over months, but the earliest we'd have any data on nonpayment-related attrition — because of the three-month grace period — is April.
The full fallout from nonpayment will play out over months, but the earliest we'd have any data on nonpayment-related attrition — because of the three-month grace period — is April.
The federal government has announced that 22.8 million people have signed up for ACA marketplace coverage for this year, down 1.5 million from last year with enhanced tax credits expiring. The coverage loss will likely grow as people don’t actually make their premium payments.
January 12, 2026 at 9:31 PM
The federal government has announced that 22.8 million people have signed up for ACA marketplace coverage for this year, down 1.5 million from last year with enhanced tax credits expiring. The coverage loss will likely grow as people don’t actually make their premium payments.
If you want to focus on insurance company overhead and profit, Medicare Advantage is the market that stands out as an outlier.
www.kff.org/medicare/hea...
www.kff.org/medicare/hea...
January 9, 2026 at 7:46 PM
If you want to focus on insurance company overhead and profit, Medicare Advantage is the market that stands out as an outlier.
www.kff.org/medicare/hea...
www.kff.org/medicare/hea...
Reposted by Larry Levitt
An excellent point from Larry — this bill marks the first time in *a decade and a half* that we've seen Republicans vote "for" the ACA in any substantive sense
Things have shifted quite a bit from when the ACA originally passed with no Republican votes, as did the enhanced premium subsidies.
These are the 17 House Republicans who voted with all Democrats to resurrect ACA funds for 3 years:
Bresnahan
Carey
De La Cruz
Fitzpatrick
Garbarino
Hurd (CO)
Joyce (OH)
Kean
LaLota
Lawler
Mackenzie
Miller (OH)
Nunn (IA)
Salazar
Valadao
Van Orden
Wittman
Bresnahan
Carey
De La Cruz
Fitzpatrick
Garbarino
Hurd (CO)
Joyce (OH)
Kean
LaLota
Lawler
Mackenzie
Miller (OH)
Nunn (IA)
Salazar
Valadao
Van Orden
Wittman
January 8, 2026 at 11:40 PM
An excellent point from Larry — this bill marks the first time in *a decade and a half* that we've seen Republicans vote "for" the ACA in any substantive sense
Things have shifted quite a bit from when the ACA originally passed with no Republican votes, as did the enhanced premium subsidies.
These are the 17 House Republicans who voted with all Democrats to resurrect ACA funds for 3 years:
Bresnahan
Carey
De La Cruz
Fitzpatrick
Garbarino
Hurd (CO)
Joyce (OH)
Kean
LaLota
Lawler
Mackenzie
Miller (OH)
Nunn (IA)
Salazar
Valadao
Van Orden
Wittman
Bresnahan
Carey
De La Cruz
Fitzpatrick
Garbarino
Hurd (CO)
Joyce (OH)
Kean
LaLota
Lawler
Mackenzie
Miller (OH)
Nunn (IA)
Salazar
Valadao
Van Orden
Wittman
January 8, 2026 at 11:29 PM
Things have shifted quite a bit from when the ACA originally passed with no Republican votes, as did the enhanced premium subsidies.
Reposted by Larry Levitt
New: @larrylevitt.bsky.social explores how unaffordable health care is in the context of the debate over extending enhanced ACA premium tax credits and an upcoming election where affordability will likely be front and center via @jamahealthforum.com: https://on.kff.org/4qvrJc9
January 8, 2026 at 5:00 PM
New: @larrylevitt.bsky.social explores how unaffordable health care is in the context of the debate over extending enhanced ACA premium tax credits and an upcoming election where affordability will likely be front and center via @jamahealthforum.com: https://on.kff.org/4qvrJc9
My latest in @jamahealthforum.com looks at health care affordability -- or, more aptly, unaffordability -- in the context of the debate over enhanced ACA premium tax credits.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
January 8, 2026 at 4:31 PM
My latest in @jamahealthforum.com looks at health care affordability -- or, more aptly, unaffordability -- in the context of the debate over enhanced ACA premium tax credits.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
New: CBO estimates a three-year extension of enhanced ACA premium tax credits would ultimately reduce the number of people uninsured by 4 million. It would cost the federal government $80.6 billion, which would come from reducing health insurance costs for enrollees.
www.cbo.gov/system/files...
www.cbo.gov/system/files...
www.cbo.gov
January 8, 2026 at 4:03 PM
New: CBO estimates a three-year extension of enhanced ACA premium tax credits would ultimately reduce the number of people uninsured by 4 million. It would cost the federal government $80.6 billion, which would come from reducing health insurance costs for enrollees.
www.cbo.gov/system/files...
www.cbo.gov/system/files...
New: With first year awards from the rural health transformation fund out, our analysis shows wide variation in the amount per rural resident across states.
www.kff.org/state-health...
www.kff.org/state-health...
January 6, 2026 at 6:15 PM
New: With first year awards from the rural health transformation fund out, our analysis shows wide variation in the amount per rural resident across states.
www.kff.org/state-health...
www.kff.org/state-health...
The reconciliation law signed by President Trump last year eliminated eligibility for Medicaid, ACA, and Medicare coverage for asylum seekers, including those from Venezuela.
www.kff.org/immigrant-he...
www.kff.org/immigrant-he...
Refugees and Asylees: Recent Changes in Access to Health Coverage and Other Assistance | KFF
This issue brief provides an overview of refugees and asylees in the U.S., trends in refugee and asylee admissions using data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and recent changes in elig...
www.kff.org
January 5, 2026 at 2:01 AM
The reconciliation law signed by President Trump last year eliminated eligibility for Medicaid, ACA, and Medicare coverage for asylum seekers, including those from Venezuela.
www.kff.org/immigrant-he...
www.kff.org/immigrant-he...
The news out of Venezuela has understandably pushed health care costs out of the headlines, but the issue hasn’t gone away. @velshi.com carved out some time today to dive in.
www.ms.now/ali-velshi/w...
www.ms.now/ali-velshi/w...
January 4, 2026 at 7:49 PM
The news out of Venezuela has understandably pushed health care costs out of the headlines, but the issue hasn’t gone away. @velshi.com carved out some time today to dive in.
www.ms.now/ali-velshi/w...
www.ms.now/ali-velshi/w...
Reposted by Larry Levitt
New year, new unaffordable healthcare costs. KFF's @larrylevitt.bsky.social joins me at Noon ET to dive into what the lapse of #AffordableCareAct subsidies could mean for you and your health as premiums spike for millions of Americans. #Velshi
January 4, 2026 at 3:08 PM
New year, new unaffordable healthcare costs. KFF's @larrylevitt.bsky.social joins me at Noon ET to dive into what the lapse of #AffordableCareAct subsidies could mean for you and your health as premiums spike for millions of Americans. #Velshi
The end of ACA enhanced premium tax credits, and an average out-of-pocket premium increase of 114% for 22 million people, has been hypothetical. Now it is real.
December 31, 2025 at 8:20 PM
The end of ACA enhanced premium tax credits, and an average out-of-pocket premium increase of 114% for 22 million people, has been hypothetical. Now it is real.