When asked about Congressional Democrats’ strategy of refusing to approve a budget unless it includes extending these tax credits, even if it means the government remains shut down, partisans firmly align with their party’s position. See the details ⤵️

Average premiums and claims are similar for ACA individual and employer-sponsored markets. However, 2026 premiums are likely to grow faster in the individual market due in part to the expected expiration of the ACA enhanced premium tax credits: https://on.kff.org/47srt6D

KFF’s latest poll finds little change in the public’s views on extending the ACA enhanced tax credits since before the shutdown began, with three quarters (74%) of the public in favor of extending them. However, support among Republicans has dipped. https://on.kff.org/47ZwwLO

Something I think gets lost in the debate over ACA enhanced premium tax credits: 65% of ACA marketplace enrollees have incomes under 200% of the poverty level ($31,300 for a single person). These are folks who make too much for Medicaid but don't have access to employer coverage.

No idea how/when shutdown ends but newest @kff.org shows that Democrats still have advantage on health care issue for voters. www.kff.org/public-opini...

New KFF polling shows that as the government shutdown continues, public support remains high for extending the enhanced ACA tax credits set to expire at the end of the year — with three quarters (74%) of the public in favor of extending them. Full poll findings: https://on.kff.org/47ZwwLO

2026 ACA open enrollment runs November 1 through January 15 for healthcare.gov and most state-run marketplaces. Use our FAQs for questions about applying for marketplace plans, the premium tax credits, special enrollment opportunities, and more: https://on.kff.org/4fzAviF

KFF combines policy research, polling and journalism in one organization. In his latest column, KFF President and CEO @drewaltman.bsky.social addresses occasional confusion about our name, how we operate, how to describe KFF, and why we’re called KFF today. 🔗: https://on.kff.org/47FETuR

The ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment season began November 1. With it comes looming changes to the enhanced premium tax credits, higher premium payments, changes to Marketplace eligibility rules, and more. Our updated ACA resources can help guide you through the changes: https://on.kff.org/3NPfMfE

⚡ KFF’s @ashleykirzinger.bsky.social explores what Tuesday’s elections tell us about the importance of addressing health care costs in both policy debates and electoral choices. #QuickTake https://on.kff.org/47I4ymu

Public schools in the U.S. have ramped up education about the dangers of the synthetic opioid fentanyl after drug overdose death rates among adolescents sharply increased during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic (before slowing in 2023). https://on.kff.org/4ojhDde

How much more would ACA Marketplace enrollees pay if the enhanced premium tax credits expire at the end of this year? Our updated calculator shows how costs would rise — based on zip code, income, age, and family size — if those credits aren’t extended: https://on.kff.org/4olBSa4

The impact of the White House’s plans to expand IVF assistance depends on whether more employers take up the plans, the scope of fertility benefits they may choose to offer, and whether IVF costs are covered beyond drugs discounted through TrumpRx. More ⤵️ https://on.kff.org/3LgXzcD

#ICYMI: Our explainer highlights 8 key issues to watch in the 2026 open enrollment period, including looming changes to the enhanced premium tax credits, higher premium payments, changes to Marketplace eligibility rules, and more. https://on.kff.org/432BLHT

While there is no single database capturing all disease outbreaks around the world, our new analysis uses multiple official sources to advance understanding of the number, type, and location of disease outbreaks worldwide in 2025. Explore: https://on.kff.org/3Lf2cEd

People purchasing health insurance in the ACA Marketplaces can use our calculator to estimate how much they would save on their 2026 premium payments if the ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits are extended in their current form before the end of the year. https://on.kff.org/4olBSa4

ACA Marketplace open enrollment started Saturday Nov. 1 (in all states except Idaho) and runs through Jan. 15, 2026, in most states. For help navigating the many changes expected for plan year 2026, check out our collection of FAQs, calculator and other resources: https://on.kff.org/3NPfMfE

52% of public schools offered some type of fentanyl education to students in the 2024-2025 school year. The most common method was through classroom instruction (30%), followed by school assemblies (22%) and events held for school families (22%). https://on.kff.org/4ojhDde

In Medicare Advantage in 2022, just over half (54%) of physicians available to traditional Medicare beneficiaries were in-network in PPO plans, on average, vs 45% in HMO plans. Even so, many HMO plans included more physicians than the average PPO plan did. https://on.kff.org/3Lf8PX3

Medicare Advantage plans appeal to beneficiaries because they offer extra benefits and cap out-of-pocket costs. But the plans’ provider networks limit enrollees’ choice of physicians, hospitals, and other providers unless they pay extra costs. Learn more: https://on.kff.org/3Lf8PX3

How are employers approaching and managing the cost of covering GLP-1 drugs for weight loss? Here’s what some said in our focus groups. Read the full analysis for more: https://on.kff.org/47iU4tx

Following a recent White House announcement about the Trump Administration’s plans to expand IVF assistance, KFF examines the plan’s potential impact and limitations. https://on.kff.org/3LgXzcD

Our analysis of official data identified 102 disease outbreaks with human transmission so far in 2025, spanning 66 countries as of October 10. Get the details: https://on.kff.org/3Lf2cEd

We have answers to almost 200 ACA Marketplace FAQs, including questions about applying for marketplace plans, the enhanced premium tax credits, special enrollment periods, and more. Explore them here: https://on.kff.org/4fzAviF

Medicare Advantage enrollees, on average, had access to just under half (48%) of the physicians in their area who were available to people in traditional Medicare in 2022. This illustrates a key tradeoff for beneficiaries who choose Medicare Advantage: https://on.kff.org/3Lf8PX3

Average life expectancy was similar in the U.S. and peer countries in 1980, but the gap has grown over time. It widened further during COVID-19 before rebounding in 2023 to a nearly four-year gap. Learn more: https://on.kff.org/42I5t4R

ACA Open Enrollment is Nov. 1. Higher premiums and out-of-pocket payments could await many Marketplace enrollees. More on these and other issues to watch in the 2026 Open Enrollment period: https://on.kff.org/432BLHT

NEW: Our calculator is now updated to include 2026 average benchmark silver premium data. ACA Marketplace open enrollment starts Nov. 1. Estimate how much more you would pay in premiums with and without the enhanced premium tax credits: https://on.kff.org/4olBSa4

ACA enhanced premium tax credits expire at the end of 2025, which will increase premium payments for Marketplace coverage by 114% on average. Our updated calculator allows users to see how much more they’d pay in premiums with and without the enhanced premium tax credits: https://on.kff.org/4olBSa4

Our new explainer highlights 8 key issues to watch in the 2026 open enrollment period, including looming changes to the enhanced premium tax credits, higher premium payments, changes to Marketplace eligibility rules, and more: https://on.kff.org/432BLHT

New: Ahead of open enrollment’s start on Nov. 1, we’ve updated our most-used ACA Marketplace tools and published an explainer on important changes and issues to watch this enrollment season. See how they could affect you: https://on.kff.org/3NPfMfE

We’ve updated our ACA Marketplace FAQs to include information about changes to who is eligible to purchase marketplace plans, get financial assistance, and more: https://on.kff.org/4fzAviF

“Apparently… a lot of Medicare beneficiaries — but not all beneficiaries equally — are ready for more health tech, and have become tech savvy to survive,” writes KFF’s @drewaltman.bsky.social. More about how seniors are using digital tools to navigate their care: https://on.kff.org/434ptib

The ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment season begins November 1, and with it comes looming changes to the enhanced premium tax credits, higher premium payments, changes to Marketplace eligibility rules, and more. https://on.kff.org/432BLHT

Several new state health alliances have emerged among Democratic-led states, pushing back on recent changes in HHS staffing, policies, and practices. Can these alliances make a difference for U.S. public health policy? https://on.kff.org/47vZWQy

The ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits have more than doubled Marketplace enrollment since they were introduced — with most of the growth concentrated in a handful of southern, red states. The credits will expire at the end of this year if Congress doesn’t act to extend them.

In a new column, KFF’s @drewaltman.bsky.social discusses new KFF survey data showing many older adults with Medicare are embracing health tech — but income gaps and concerns about AI and privacy remain barriers to more widespread adoption. https://on.kff.org/434ptib

Across all states, benchmark ACA premiums will rise an average of 26% next year, though most enrollees would see sharper increases if the enhanced tax credits expire. KFF’s Cynthia Cox explains the numbers. #QuickTake https://on.kff.org/3WNhiDz

Our Health Policy 101 — a guide to U.S. health policy and programs — has been updated to address the changes underway in health policy. Explore this mini “textbook” for faculty, students, and others interested in health policy. https://on.kff.org/hp101

In focus groups, about a third of employers covering GLP-1 drugs for weight loss said they require enrollees to meet with dietitians or other medical case managers to get the drugs covered, up from 10% of firms last year. https://on.kff.org/47iU4tx

How much more could ACA Marketplaces enrollees pay if the enhanced premium tax credits expire at the end of the year? KFF’s @cynthiaccox.bsky.social walks through three real-life examples of how people would be affected by the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits.

#ICYMI: About 154 million non-elderly Americans rely on employer-sponsored health coverage. Our 27th annual survey of more than 1,800 large and small employers provides a detailed picture of the trends affecting it. Explore the latest data: https://on.kff.org/ehbs2025

Our analysis shows the U.S. generally performs worse in long-term health outcomes (like life expectancy), certain treatment outcomes (like maternal mortality), some patient safety measures, and health system capacity: https://on.kff.org/42I5t4R

Over half of small employers that don’t offer health benefits say Medicaid is an important source of coverage for their workers — 34% say it’s very important, while 22% say it’s somewhat important. More in our latest survey: https://on.kff.org/ehbs2025

Even amid widespread use of health care-related apps, majorities of adults are concerned about the privacy of their information, regardless of whether an app is managed by the government, a private technology company, or a health insurance company. https://on.kff.org/476mPuJ

During the nearly 8-week annual open enrollment period, which began on Oct. 15, Medicare beneficiaries can change how they receive their coverage. KFF answers 10 questions people might have about Medicare open enrollment: https://on.kff.org/4eoUpxq

Part-time workers generally are not eligible for their employer’s health benefits. In our benchmark survey of employers, we found that only 27% of large firms and 18% of small firms offered coverage to part-time workers in 2025: https://on.kff.org/ehbs2025

ACA enhanced premium tax credits have helped many people afford Marketplace coverage and more than doubled enrollment since 2021. Who could be disproportionately affected by steep premium increases if the enhanced tax credits expire? KFF’s @cynthiaccox.bsky.social explains.

This week’s edition of The Monitor covers: 👶Trust in children’s health content on social media. 💊 Misleading claims about the safety of medication abortion. 💉Autism and the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Read the issue and subscribe: https://on.kff.org/4nmeQyv

Teaching, studying or need to understand health policy for your work? Explore major issues in U.S. health policy with our resource, Health Policy 101, now with updated chapters that address the latest policy changes. https://on.kff.org/hp101