Issue Brief

The Looming Equity Crisis in Children’s Health Care: Federal and State Action Is Needed to Prevent Millions of Children from Losing Medicaid

Two years of unprecedented Medicaid coverage protections during the COVID-19 pandemic prevented mass coverage losses at a time when families could least afford them. But now, at least 6.7 million chil...

Making Ends Meet: Reducing Costs at the Pharmacy Counter Will Help Americans Survive Inflation

The high cost of prescription drugs in the United States is a huge health problem and a significant economic problem. Consumers facing increased drug costs report cutting back on key areas of their bu...

Unless Congress Acts, Health Care Costs Will Soon Skyrocket for People Who Buy Their Own Insurance

Millions of families struggle every day to pay the rising cost of food, gasoline, and other necessities. The last thing they need is a 53% increase in their health insurance premiums. But that’s the...

What We Have Learned From Community Health Workers Throughout the Pandemic: Recommendations for Policymakers

Deployment of community health workers (CHWs) has been limited in the United States for many years despite substantial evidence that shows the model’s effectiveness in many health care settings. Dur...

Medicaid Programs Should Protect Health Care for Millions of Families by Implementing a New Federal Option for SNAP-Based Electronic Renewal

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released guidance that gives states a powerful new tool that will prevent millions of people from losing Medicaid. The tool will also he...

Advancing Health Equity Through Improved Access to Patient-Centered Contraceptive Care

Important evidence from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) offers critical insights into how best to tackle inequities in reproductive care. PCORI research suggests that patient-...

Inflation, the Economy and Health Care: Build Back Better Is Part of the Solution

As Congress moves toward passage of the Build Back Better Act, it is important to address concerns of national inflation. This issue brief focuses primarily on the counter-inflationary impact of Build...

2021: A Year of Progress for State Medicaid Oral Health Coverage and Opportunities for Bigger, Bolder Federal Investment

In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic disrupted legislative sessions and state budgets, forcing state policymakers to make tough decisions in response to the drastic decline in revenue stemming from the e...

Why Strong Health Care Policies in Reconciliation Are Necessary to Advancing Racial Equity

In the wake of a pandemic that has exposed the many underlying structural failures in America’s health care system and a national awakening around racial justice, President Joe Biden and Democratic ...

Congress Should Appropriate Funds for Consumer Assistance Programs in Every State

by Cheryl Fish-Parcham, Families USA; Elisabeth Ryden Benjamin, Community Service Society of New York/Community Health Advocates Among consumers across the country, there is a tremendous need for a...