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KFF
@kff.org
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The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
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On Jan. 5, HHS announced major changes to the government’s recommended vaccination schedule for children.

In a new policy watch, we examine how these changes may affect people and public health in the U.S. Get the details: https://on.kff.org/4syReKU
Summary table outlining changes to U.S. pediatric vaccine recommendations under the Trump Administration as of January 5, 2026, provided by KFF. The table compares routine vaccine categories before and after 2025, specifying additions and removals.
January 10, 2026 at 7:00 PM
kff.org
Some states are trying to blunt the impact that the ACA’s expired enhanced premium tax credits will have on consumers by implementing their own state-funded subsidies and other programs aimed at stabilizing premium costs: https://on.kff.org/49zklVO
Green background with large white text that says “$35 Billion.” Below that, there’s text that says: “The amount states would have to spend each year to replace the ACA’s enhanced premium tax credit. State efforts to soften the impact of their expiration make up only a small fraction of federal funding.”
January 9, 2026 at 10:20 PM
kff.org
How are states filling the gap in funding for Planned Parenthood?

Our experts explain how 11 states are responding to the year-long ban on federal Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood created by the 2025 budget reconciliation law. https://on.kff.org/4qmsNis
KFF map titled “11 states have committed to filling in gaps created by losses in federal Medicaid funding in response to Planned Parenthood being blocked from receiving federal Medicaid reimbursements.” To the left of the map of the US, there’s text that says: State responses range from agreeing to cover the full cost for Medicaid services to allocating a specific amount of state funds for the year. For example, California is planning to allocate over $140 million in state funds to assist Planned Parenthood health centers.
January 9, 2026 at 8:12 PM
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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
Quote from Larry Levitt, KFF Senior Vice President for Health Policy. It says, "There will always be people who cannot afford health care on their own because of their low incomes or high health care needs. That is what the ACA aimed to address, and what the debate over extending enhanced premium tax credits has centered on. How much can people afford to pay for health insurance?"
January 8, 2026 at 5:00 PM
kff.org
How well did states fare under new, first-year federal rural health grants?

Our analysis shows relatively modest variation in total awards across states but wide variation in how much states will receive per rural resident. https://on.kff.org/3YW7Hv0
KFF map showing that first-year awards per rural resident vary widely across states, ranging from less than $100 in ten states to more than $500 in eight states according to KFF analysis.
January 7, 2026 at 9:16 PM
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Medicaid paid for two-thirds of home care spending in 2023.

Learn about the types of medical and supportive services available to family caregivers across states in 2025: https://on.kff.org/4qxRkR4
Bar chart shows the number of responding states, including DC, that allow payments for family caregivers by type of home care program and type of caregiver.
January 7, 2026 at 8:12 PM
kff.org
Our brief describes the services and supports available to family caregivers through Medicaid home care in 2025, before federal Medicaid spending cuts take effect: https://on.kff.org/4qxRkR4
Bar chart shows the number of responding states, including DC, that allow payments for family caregivers by type of home care program and type of caregiver.
January 7, 2026 at 7:08 PM
kff.org
Increased payment rates for Medicaid home care workers are states’ key approach to addressing workforce shortages.

More on these worker shortages and how states are responding here: https://on.kff.org/3NtTCSY
Bar chart shows the number of responding states, including DC, that answered "yes" when asked whether they were experiencing a shortage of the Medicaid home care workers identified below.
January 7, 2026 at 6:04 PM
kff.org
In his first column for the new year, KFF President and CEO Drew Altman analyzes President Trump’s “make a deal” approach to health care.

“A big question about them,” he writes, “is whether they have staying power.”

Read more: https://on.kff.org/4ssYisr
Purple background with white text that features a quote from KFF President and CEO Drew Altman. It says, President Trump’s health care deals “are far from comprehensive health reform plans addressing coverage and costs and they don’t change the long-term profit incentives of the health care companies that participate in the deals. They in no way offset the huge cuts in Medicaid and the ACA made on his watch. Still, they signify action to voters on issues they care about, can capture news cycles, and even do some good, like lowering some drug prices at least temporarily. The benefits of some of the deals are exaggerated as Trump is wont to do. A big question about them is whether they have staying power.” This quote is from Drew’s latest “Beyond the Data” column.
January 6, 2026 at 10:20 PM
kff.org
NEW: The initial awards to states under the new federal Rural Health Transformation Program show relatively modest variation in total awards across states but wide variation in how much states will receive per rural resident.

Our analysis: https://on.kff.org/3YW7Hv0
KFF map showing that first-year awards per rural resident vary widely across states, ranging from less than $100 in ten states to more than $500 in eight states according to KFF analysis.
January 6, 2026 at 8:12 PM
kff.org
⚡ KFF’s Alex Montero explains that Secretary Kennedy’s efforts to narrow the childhood vaccine schedule doesn’t reflect the views of most parents, but KFF polling suggests it may have more appeal among President Trump’s base. #QuickTake https://on.kff.org/49qOSVN
KFF split bar chart titled “Prior to Recent Changes to the Childhood Vaccine Schedule, A Quarter of Parents Said the CDC Recommended Too Many Childhood Vaccines, Rising to Half Among MAGA-Supporting Republican Parents.” The chart shows the percent of parents who say the CDC recommends too many, about the right amount, or not enough vaccines, or who say they are not sure. Results shown by total parents, age, party identification, and MAGA and non-MAGA Republicans.
January 6, 2026 at 6:42 PM
kff.org
What is Medicaid home care? At-home assistance with self-care, such as bathing, dressing, and eating, for older adults and people with disabilities.

Read about who and what was covered in 2025 through the various programs: https://on.kff.org/4qaA4BI
KFF bar chart titled “All states offer Medicaid home care through various programs.” The bar chart shows the number of states, including DC, offering Medicaid home care through various federal programs in 2025.
January 6, 2026 at 6:04 PM
kff.org
In a new column, KFF’s @drewaltman.bsky.social analyzes President Trump’s “make a deal” approach to health care.

He writes that the deals “even do some good,” but “don’t change the long-term incentives of the health care companies that participate in the deals.”

🔗: https://on.kff.org/4ssYisr
Purple background with white text that features a quote from KFF President and CEO Drew Altman. It says, “President Trump is often derided for not having a health reform plan, or even his ‘concepts of a plan’ he’s talked about, or more narrowly, a plan to replace the ACA and its enhanced tax credits currently under debate. It’s true he has none of these. But he does have a distinctive game plan of sorts that’s unlike anything we’ve seen before: a series of one-off deals with the health care industry… To use a word commonly associated with Trump, it’s health policy by transaction.” This quote is from Drew’s latest “Beyond the Data” column.
January 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM
kff.org
Federal cuts could affect states’ funding for Medicaid home care programs, which provide optional services and supports to family caregivers, including pay, respite care, and training.

Learn more about what states offer: https://on.kff.org/4qxRkR4
Bar chart shows the number of responding states, including DC, that allow payments for family caregivers by type of home care program and type of caregiver.
January 5, 2026 at 9:16 PM
kff.org
All responding states reported shortages of home care workers, most frequently among direct support professionals, nursing staff, personal care attendants, and case managers.

States are responding through higher pay, training, and more: https://on.kff.org/3NtTCSY
Bar chart shows the number of responding states, including DC, that answered "yes" when asked whether they were experiencing a shortage of the Medicaid home care workers identified below.
January 5, 2026 at 8:12 PM
kff.org
Did you know Medicaid – not Medicare – is the primary payer of home care for older adults and people with disabilities?

More on Medicaid home care, who is covered, and what services were available in 2025 here: https://on.kff.org/4qaA4BI
KFF bar chart titled “All states offer Medicaid home care through various programs.” The bar chart shows the number of states, including DC, offering Medicaid home care through various federal programs in 2025.
January 5, 2026 at 6:04 PM
kff.org
KFF’s Health Policy 101 is a comprehensive resource for faculty, students, and anyone looking to stay ahead of U.S. health policy.

Explore the chapters: https://on.kff.org/hp101
Graphic stating 'We've updated Health Policy 101' with images of documents, including titles referring to the Affordable Care Act and health policy elections, accompanied by the KFF logo.
January 5, 2026 at 3:30 PM
kff.org
Get ahead this semester with KFF’s Health Policy 101.

Our experts break down key U.S. health policy issues in short, easy-to-read chapters — perfect for students and educators alike. https://on.kff.org/hp101
Graphic stating 'We've updated Health Policy 101' with images of documents, including titles referring to the Affordable Care Act and health policy elections, accompanied by the KFF logo.
January 2, 2026 at 4:35 PM
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Looking ahead to health policy in 2026, KFF President and CEO @drewaltman.bsky.social shares 8 health policy developments worth watching — and why they matter for people and the health care system. https://on.kff.org/4pyk8Jm
Quote from KFF's President and CEO Drew Altman: “…President Trump has helped engineer a shift in the geopolitics of health care in which drug companies are no longer the NRA of health care and mostly untouchable… Still, retail drug spending is only 9% of overall health spending (16% for employers) and there is growing awareness that hospitals gobble up the single largest share of the health care dollar.”
January 2, 2026 at 3:20 PM
kff.org
What should people pay attention to as health policy discussions look toward 2026?

KFF President and CEO @drewaltman.bsky.social outlines 8 developments to watch — including ongoing pressures around affordability and health care costs. https://on.kff.org/4pyk8Jm
KFF graphic with quote from President and CEO Drew Altman on 8 Health Policy Developments to Watch in 2026: 1) The role health care affordability will play in the midterms. 2) How enrollees actually respond in the ACA Marketplaces, assuming there’s no deal on enhanced premium tax credits. 3) States that expanded Medicaid will be gearing up for Medicaid work requirements, which kick in in 2027. 4) Health costs are expected to increase sharply again. 5) The Trump administration’s pressure on drug prices and greater attention paid to hospital prices, with possibly greater state-level action. 6) The administration’s voluntary effort to work with industry to streamline and pare back prior authorization. 7) The Make America Healthy Again agenda, which 4 in 10 Americans identify with in some way, and the overlap between MAHA and the anti-vax movement. 8) AI’s impact on peoples’ health costs and their ability to navigate the health system.
January 1, 2026 at 8:50 PM
kff.org
As 2025 winds down, what health policy developments are worth watching next year?

KFF’s @drewaltman.bsky.social forecasts 8 developments that will really matter for people, policy, and politics in 2026. Read more: https://on.kff.org/4pyk8Jm
KFF graphic from President and CEO Drew Altman: “All told, it will be a big year ahead in health policy. And this list only just scratches the surface. There’s also Mifepristone, and family planning, HIV, CDC, NIH and FDA, and CMS waivers and CMMI, the Medicare Advantage wars that never end, and price transparency, and more. But there probably won’t be a lot of significant action in Congress. Still, every incremental change is a big fight in health care, and hard won, and in a hyper-partisan Congress, 2026 will be no different.”
December 30, 2025 at 6:12 PM
kff.org
KFF’s Health Policy 101 is a comprehensive resource for faculty, students, and anyone looking to stay ahead of U.S. health policy.

Explore the chapters: https://on.kff.org/hp101
Graphic stating 'We've updated Health Policy 101' with images of documents, including titles referring to the Affordable Care Act and health policy elections, accompanied by the KFF logo.
December 24, 2025 at 7:54 PM
kff.org
As 2025 comes to a close, KFF’s @drewaltman.bsky.social offers a forward look at 8 health policy issues that could shape 2026 — including rising premiums, cost sharing, and long-term affordability.

https://on.kff.org/4pyk8Jm
KFF graphic with quote from President and CEO Drew Altman: “Health costs will increase more sharply again. Employer premium increases may not touch double digits but could come close. The average cost of a family policy for employers could approach $30,000. It’s likely that cost sharing and deductibles will rise again after plateauing for several years.”
December 24, 2025 at 2:24 PM
kff.org
Our Health Policy 101 is a comprehensive resource for faculty, students, and anyone looking to stay ahead of U.S. health policy.

We’ve updated it to reflect the latest developments: https://on.kff.org/hp101
Graphic featuring a stack of documents titled 'Health Policy 101' with the text 'We've updated Health Policy 101' prominently displayed, and the KFF logo at the bottom right.
December 23, 2025 at 5:24 PM
kff.org
About 7.2 million people in the U.S. identify as American Indian or Alaska Native. Yet they are often excluded from data and analysis due to a small population size.

A KFF brief helps address these gaps with an overview of this diverse group's health & health care. https://on.kff.org/4avIgrm
The KFF pie chart shows the distribution of people who identify as AIAN (American Indian or Alaska Native) by racial subgroup within the total AIAN population of 7.2 million. The dark blue represents AIAN alone (24%), the lighter blue represents AIAN and Hispanic (16%), the dark green represents AIAN and Black (5%), the lighter green represents AIAN and Other Race (27%) and the purple represents AIAN and White (28%).
December 22, 2025 at 9:55 PM