Policy & Regulation

Participation in the social safety net varies widely across programs—from 15 percent among eligibles for subsidized child care (CCDF) to over 75 percent for Medicaid/CHIP and EITC.  Participation differs by race and ethnicity, yet patterns are not consistent. In general rates differ more across programs than between race-ethnic groups.

On January 1, 2022, the surprise billing provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 - commonly referred to as the No Surprises Act - go into effect. Surprise billing occurs when a privately insured individual receives an unexpected bill either in an emergency situation or when a service in an in-network facility is provided by an out-of-network provider.

This Data Point presents current estimates of uninsured rates among early care and education workers (ECE), which includes individuals employed by Head Start, childcare center providers, and preschools. These populations have lower incomes on average and often lack access to benefits, including health coverage, commonly received by teachers in the K-12 system and post-secondary schools.

Federal surveys relied on by researchers and policymakers for estimates of the uninsured population have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially influencing the accuracy of their estimates. This report analyzes evidence from a variety of data sources, including surveys and administrative data, which collectively indicate that the number of uninsured people in the U.S.

Dual eligible beneficiaries are an important subset of the Medicare and Medicaid populations because they have a high prevalence of chronic conditions and disabilities, substantial care needs, and high health care and long-term services and supports (LTSS) utilization and costs.

In 2016, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services finalized its Guidelines for Regulatory Impact Analysis under the leadership of its Assistant Secretary for Planning Evaluation and Analytics Team. The Guidelines discuss strategies for characterizing the uncertainty in quantified effects as well as the potential impacts of non-quantified effects.

This report extends the brief discussion of addressing international effects contained in the Department of Health and Human Service Guidelines for Regulatory Impact Analysis (2016). The purpose of this supplement is to expand that discussion and provide more detailed information on conducting such assessments. Related Products:

This Issue Brief reviews evidence on factors affecting enrollment in health coverage among uninsured populations, including take-up of Medicaid and subsidized Marketplace plans among eligible individuals.

COVID-19 pandemic’s social restrictions have prompted a surge in the mental health needs of children of all ages. Nationwide 4.3 million children/adolescents have been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of August 2021, and many of them have returned to early childhood and school settings. Schools and early childhood programs have long been essential settings for delivery of mental health services.

This brief discusses the perspectives of a group of working parents on receipt of federal benefits. Based on focus groups, it examines program design and implementation, participation barriers, and factors that could help working parents more readily reach financial independence. Highlights are: