Two in five Medicare Advantage enrollees said they don’t plan to use some of their plan benefits — with more than half saying they don’t need them. Our latest survey raises key questions about whether current benefits meet people’s needs or could be better designed to add value.

Medicaid cuts under the recently passed tax and spending law could put contraceptive access for millions of women at risk. A new brief from the Commonwealth Fund finds that states may scale back family planning programs, close key providers, and deepen health inequities.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) isn’t just an anti-hunger program — it’s also an economic stabilizer for families and communities. In this article, we lay out what’s at stake for families, states, and the food economy if these cuts take effect.

New Webinar: How Medical Debt Is Pummeling Americans, Mon., 11/10, 10 am PST. Medical #debt is crushing 100M+ Americans — many insured. Hear reporting tips, insights & story ideas from @raelnb.bsky.social & @jessicaglenza.bsky.social on the U.S. medical debt crisis. Register: bit.ly/MedicalDebtReg

💊 Prescription drug prices have long risen faster than inflation, straining budgets for patients and the government alike. A new Medicare policy aims to slow that trend, and it could save billions over the next decade. Explore the details in our new explainer:

Medicare Advantage plans offer extra benefits like: 🦷 Dental 👁️ Vision 👂 Hearing But in 2024, just one-third of enrollees used any supplemental benefit — despite $39 billion in federal spending to provide them. Learn more ⬇

On a new episode of The Dose Podcast, Dr. Kevin Simon describes how we can address the shortage in youth psychiatrists by using nontraditional interventions to support young people, like AI therapy and special training for community center staff. thedose.show/s09305

👻 Premium Sticker Shock Could Give Families A Fright This Open Enrollment As #OpenEnrollment begins Nov. 1, millions of Americans may see higher costs if enhanced ACA tax credits are allowed to expire. Without action, premiums could double or even quadruple & nearly 5M people could lose coverage.

Medicaid coverage. Reproductive health access. Social supports. Our new report compares maternal and child mortality state by state — and against 200 countries. State policy choices like these shape whether mothers and children are healthy and safe. bit.ly/433uEie

“Too much energy goes into getting paid instead of caring for patients.” Dr. Mai Pham talks with Joel Brevell about redesigning how we pay for care, and why it matters.

On this episode of The Dose, Dr. Pham explains how better payment models, authentic community engagement, and “universal design” in health care could help systems serve everyone more equitably. bit.ly/4ot1BNw

Get up to speed on the fundamentals of the 340B program ahead of the Senate HELP hearing. If you have questions about the program, see our explainer for answers. We cover: ❓ How the program works 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Who the stakeholders are 💊 What changes have been proposed

Congress and the Trump administration have enacted sweeping policy changes that will: 🤕 bump legally present immigrants off the marketplaces and #Medicaid, 🚧 add red tape for other people who are eligible to enroll, and 📈 sharply increase workers’ insurance premiums.

In 2023, Louisiana’s maternal mortality rate was more than 4x California’s. See the state-by-state breakdown — and how U.S. states compare to 200 countries — in our new report. bit.ly/433uEie

As Congress continues to examine the growth and impact of the 340B program, and as Senate HELP prepares for a hearing on the program later this week, you may have a few questions about how it works. If so, see our explainer for at-a-glance answers.

Losing your health coverage is bad enough. But for hundreds of thousands of workers, it could also mean losing a job. New research shows the economic damage if enhanced ACA tax credits expire this year.

With open enrollment just weeks away, millions of people will soon learn they’ll have to pay significantly more to keep their coverage next year. An increase driven by an overall rise in health care costs and Congressional inaction on the enhanced premium tax credits.

The expiration of the enhanced ACA premium tax credits would cause subsidized Marketplace enrollment to fall by more than half in 8 states—including TX, LA, and GA—according to new Urban Institute projections.

Marketplace Sticker Shock: What to expect if the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced marketplace subsidies expire. www.linkedin.com/pulse/market...

New report estimates economic impact of allowing the ACA Marketplace enhanced premium tax credits to expire. See how your state is impacted - www.commonwealthfund.org/publications... #healthpolicy

Beyond the increase in uninsured, @commonwealthfund.org calculates up to 340K could lose jobs inthe U.S. if enhanced tax credits are not renewed. We are now 16 days away from the start of ACA Open Enrollment.

New obesity drugs are transforming care but some insurers still won’t cover them. 🎧 Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford joins Dr. @joelbervell.bsky.social on The Dose podcast to explain what’s at stake. #obesity #GLP1

Although #Medicare is a federal program, beneficiaries’ ability to afford care, access providers, and avoid preventable hospitalizations varies widely depending on their state.

Great thread on some new #Medicaid unwinding analysis. 🧵 Key takeaway for me: "Continuous eligibility policies may not have the intended effect on access to coverage if beneficiaries do not understand that they remain enrolled in the program." #healthpolicy

When science meets politics, people and #publichealth lose. This week on The Dose, Dr. Joel Bervell discusses misinformation, mistrust, and the need to protect scientific truth with Dr. Francis Collins, formerly of the NIH. 🎧 Listen: bit.ly/4nXT6tV

National #Medicaid work requirements are coming in 2027. What happened in states that tried this before? In Arkansas, more than 18,000 lost coverage due to a confusing reporting process & lack of public awareness of the policy change. See our explainer for answers to big questions.

As health coverage options narrow, workers could face higher costs or lose insurance altogether — even while working full time. The safety-net meant to catch them is being cut away.

“Change begins when truth is spoken aloud.” On a new episode of #TheDosePodcast, Dr. @joelbervell.bsky.social and Dr. Francis Collins dive into what’s threatening trust in medical science and how we begin to rebuild it. 🎧 Listen: thedose.show/s09e02

More than 20 million people get their health insurance from the ACA marketplaces. Recent rate filings from insurers show premiums for those plans will surge in 2026 -- in some states, to as much as 3X their current level. A contributing factor? The expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits.

Over 24M people now rely on ACA marketplace coverage -- double the number in 2020. But recent federal changes put those gains at risk, especially for workers steered into the market with Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs).https://bit.ly/4gTlVos

ICYMI: @commonwealthfund.org's research, recently cited in @theguardian.com, estimates that one in five children enrolled in Medicaid could be at risk of losing coverage.

In 2023, the maternal death rate in Louisiana was more than four times as high as California’s, while infant mortality in Mississippi was nearly triple that of Massachusetts.

“My hope is that as you listen, you'll feel not only informed, but inspired. That you'll see yourself as part of this ongoing journey to reimagine what health care can be." Dr. @joelbervell.bsky.social returns for a new season of The Dose, this Friday. Subscribe today! ⤵️

The more than 20 million people who rely on marketplace coverage will soon learn they must pay significantly higher premiums to keep their coverage next year.

Millions of workers may be directed to buy ACA marketplace coverage through employer-funded accounts. But new federal policy changes are making that market harder to navigate and more costly. bit.ly/4gTlVos

The majority of people with Medicaid who can work are already working. However, in 2027, #Medicaid will add national work requirements for the first time. When Arkansas added work requirements in 2018, more than 18,000 people lost coverage. See our explainer to learn more about work requirements.

Recent federal policy changes have created significant gaps in the #healthcare safety net. States, on their own, will not have the resources to fix them. Here, researchers outline several policy options that could help mitigate the risks and burdens faced by patients and hospitals.

“This is terrifying. I’m looking at a government that’s looking me in the face and they’re saying ‘your life does not matter,’” Jerrod says. “And Baby, I know my life has value.” wordinblack.com/2025/09/the-... #Medicaid #healthpolicy #healthequity

🌪️🌫️ Extreme weather and air pollution are straining hospitals and putting patients at risk. Our new Scorecard is the first to compare all 50 states + DC on climate risks and explore the policies that can address them.

Introducing federal Medicaid work requirements for enrollees in the ACA’s Medicaid expansion will lead to coverage losses that will reduce hospital revenues, increase uncompensated care costs, and lower operating margins.

The Commonwealth Fund was founded to improve the health of all Americans, especially those most in need. President Joe Betancourt reflects on that legacy and what’s needed now.

The new federal tax law will strip 10 million Americans of their health insurance at a time when a large share of the country is already struggling with #medicaldebt.

Want to reduce inequities in reproductive health research? This webinar explores strategies, best practices, and common pitfalls in applying equity-focused methods. Supported by @commonwealthfund.org

The president’s domestic policy law and new regulations will impose a host of administrative barriers to marketplace enrollment, causing millions of people to lose their health coverage.

New report estimates the impact of #Medicaid work requirements on hospital finances, with tables showing safety net and rural hospital impacts by state www.commonwealthfund.org/publications... #healthpolicy

Commonwealth Fund President @jbetancourtpr.bsky.social, lays out the Fund’s priorities and announces two new initiatives launching in 2026.

ICYMI: #PrimaryCare is the backbone of the health system, yet physicians in this field are paid far less than specialists. This pay gap makes it harder to recruit new doctors and contributes to growing shortages. Payment reforms could help close the gap and improve access to care. Details below ⤵️

🎉 Congrats to the 4 U.S. journalists selected for AHCJ’s German Health Care Study Group in Berlin this October! Read more about their projects ➡️ healthjournalism.org/blog/2025/09...

The U.S. spends more on health care than any other country—yet outcomes lag. Why? Dig into this big question with AHCJ’s U.S. Health System Reporting Fellowship. Funding, mentoring + resources to support your project. Apply here: healthjournalism.org/fellowships/...

The new federal tax law is poised to exacerbate the #medicaldebt crisis by stripping millions of their health insurance. Find out what states can do to protect patients. www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2025/ho...