Poll: Large Majorities Now Say They Wear Masks Regularly and Can Continue Social Distancing for At Least Six Months if Needed, though Republicans Remain Less Likely to Take Such Precautions December 18, 2020 News Release As winter sets in and COVID-19 cases and deaths reach records in most parts of the country, more Americans say they wear masks every time they leave home now (73%) than said so in May (52%), a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. A small minority (11%) say they wear…
How are States Prioritizing Who Will Get the COVID-19 Vaccine First? December 16, 2020 News Release The first Americans were vaccinated today as COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed across the country. A new KFF review of states’ releases and statements about their vaccination priorities finds that most states are following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations for the…
KFF Launches New COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor to Track the Public’s Confidence in the Vaccine and Experiences for the Duration of the Pandemic December 15, 2020 News Release Republicans and Black Americans are More Likely to Be Hesitant but Even Among These Groups Reasons Vary KFF has launched a new COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor to dive deeply into the public’s views about the vaccine and experiences getting it for as long as the pandemic lasts. First results released today…
New National and State Estimates for Recommended COVID-19 Vaccination Priority Population December 10, 2020 News Release This month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adopted a recommendation that health care workers and long-term care residents should be the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine once it is authorized or approved by the FDA. A new KFF analysis estimates there are 15.5 million people working…
What Might President Biden Do on Health Policy Without Congressional Action? December 8, 2020 News Release President-elect Joe Biden campaigned on major health reforms, including building on the Affordable Care Act, better managing the COVID-19 pandemic and lowering prescription drug costs, but a narrowly divided Congress could stifle efforts to enact such major legislation. The Biden administration instead may choose to move forward on a variety…
How Did the Coronavirus Pandemic Affect Health Care Provided by OBGYNs? December 2, 2020 News Release A new KFF survey of obstetrician-gynecologists (OBGYNs) offers insight into how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the provision of sexual and reproductive health care, including the growth of telehealth and the ongoing challenges and limitations of such medical visits. Key findings from the survey, which was conducted from July to…
For 3rd Year in a Row, More Insurers are Entering the ACA Marketplaces, Creating More Options for Consumers November 23, 2020 News Release For the third straight year, more insurers are entering the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces and expanding their service areas, creating more options for consumers seeking to buy their own insurance for 2021, a new KFF analysis finds. The analysis finds 30 insurers joining the marketplace across 20 states, and another…
What Do State Plans Reveal About Their Readiness to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccines? November 18, 2020 News Release With hopes that a COVID-19 vaccine or vaccines will be proven safe and effective soon, state and local public health authorities will play a critical role in ensuring the efficient distribution and administration of the vaccine. To assess the readiness of these local governments to take on these responsibilities, KFF…
KHN and Associated Press Investigation of Inadequate U.S. Public Health Infrastructure During the Pandemic Wins Top Journalism Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science November 11, 2020 News Release The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has awarded KFF’s Kaiser Health News and The Associated Press one of its top journalism prizes for a joint investigation that revealed the diminished state of the U.S. public health infrastructure in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The AAAS gave…
New Brief Examines COVID-19 Risks and Impacts for Health Care Workers by Race and Ethnicity November 11, 2020 News Release New coronavirus cases in the United States have hit daily records multiple times in the past week and hospitalizations are rising in several areas of the country. Health care workers face some of the greatest risk of exposure to the coronavirus and a new KFF brief examines the composition of…