Perspectives on being black in america today

Latest Polling
79%
Most Black adults say systemic racism is a major obstacle to Black people achieving equal outcomes with White people.
66%
Two out of three Black adults say the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic would be stronger if White people where getting sick and dying at higher rates than people of color.
71%
About 7 in 10 Black adults say unconscious bias has been an obstacle in their own life.
65%
Most Black adults are not confident that the development of the coronavirus vaccine is taking needs of Black people into account.
coronavirus
  • State Data and Policy Actions to Address Coronavirus

    Every state and Washington D.C. have eased or lifted at least one social distancing requirement — including 32 states that have eased or lifted stay-at-home orders. From May 21 to May 28, restaurants reopened to dine-in service in 4 more states, and 4 more states eased or lifted their gatherings ban. Between May 28 to June 4, seven more states allowed restaurants to reopen to dine-in service.

  • State Variation in Seasonal Flu Vaccination: Implications for a COVID-19 Vaccine

    This analysis of flu vaccination rates across states and across groups within each state highlights some of the challenges facing public health officials in ensuring most people receive a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available.

  • Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in Nursing Homes

    This data note presents national data that shows that nursing homes with a high share of Black or Hispanic residents were more likely to have at least one coronavirus case, at least one COVID-19 death, and (among facilities with cases) more severe case outbreaks than facilities with a low share of Black or Hispanic residents.

  • Distributing a COVID-19 Vaccine Across the U.S. — A Look at Key Issues

    This brief examines key policy challenges and issues related to distributing a COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S., including funding, supply and logistics, federal, state, and local authorities, insurance coverage, addressing racial and ethnic disparities, and communication and trust.

health coverage
  • More Than Half of All People on Medicare Do Not Compare Their Coverage Options Annually

    This analysis shows that more than half of Medicare beneficiaries do not compare coverage options annually during the open enrollment period, despite the fact that Medicare Advantage and Part D plans often change from one year to the next, which could lead to unexpected and avoidable costs for beneficiaries who do not review their options annually.

  • Estimate 2021 Consumer Premiums for ACA Marketplace

    The Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator, updated with 2021 premium data, provides estimates of health insurance premiums and subsidies for people purchasing insurance on their own in health insurance exchanges (or “Marketplaces”) created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). With this calculator, you can enter your income, age, and family size to estimate your eligibility for subsidies and how much you could spend on health insurance.

  • Explaining Health Care Reform: Questions About Health Insurance Subsidies

    This brief describes health insurance subsidies available through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces, including premium subsidies that would be provided in the form of tax credits, as well as other subsidies that would lower cost sharing to eligible Americans. It provides details on who is eligible for the assistance, the maximum repayment limits for the credits, and out-of-pocket spending limits.

  • Key Facts about the Uninsured Population

    This issue brief describes trends in health coverage prior to the pandemic, examines the characteristics of the uninsured population in 2019, and summarizes the access and financial implications of not having coverage.

Drew Altman, CEO

  • Column

    Joe Biden’s Big Lead on Health Care Issues

    In an Axios column, Drew Altman discusses how this election year health isn’t a single issue — but several — and Joe Biden has the edge over President Trump on all of them, even as opposition to the ACA remains popular with Trump’s base.  

  • Column

    Black Americans Are More Skeptical of a Coronavirus Vaccine

    Drew Altman discusses how systemic racism has led to striking levels of reluctance to get a COVID-19 vaccine among Black Americans, including those at highest risk, and the challenge it presents for ending the pandemic.

  • Column

    Drugs Aren’t the Reason the U.S. Spends So Much on Health Care

    Drew Altman’s column in Axios: the U.S. now spends twice per capita what other wealthy countries do on health care. But while drug costs get all the time in public debate, it’s hospital and outpatient spending that mostly explains the difference. And that will be impossible to take on without real pain and political risk, he says.

  • Column

    Biden vs Trump on Health With Swing Voters

    Drawing on newly released KFF/Cook Political Report polling in key Sun Belt states, Drew Altman discusses how the 2020 election is more about President Trump but issues do matter. He says that swing voters in Florida, Arizona and North Carolina prefer Joe Biden over President Trump on more issues including health care and the coronavirus, but President Trump has the edge on their top issue, the economy. 

Death Toll of the Pandemic Places the U.S. at Top of Most Affected Countries

The United States' excess deaths count per 100,00 people is higher this year than that for comparable countries, which is likely to increase the mortality gap between the U.S. and peer countries. Learn more in this Chart of the Week.

http://Death%20Toll%20of%20the%20Pandemic%20Places%20the%20U.S.%20at%20Top%20of%20Most%20Affected%20Countries

79%

In our October poll, 79% of the public say they do not want the Supreme Court to overturn the Affordable Care Act’s protections for people with pre-existing conditions — up from 62% one year ago.

Browse the Latest from KFF

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Filling the need for trusted information on national health issues, the Kaiser Family Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California.