ASPE Issue Brief

This brief summarizes findings from a research project that examined access to and use of tele-mental health services among individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and children with serious emotional disturbance (SED) and behavioral health consumer and provider perceptions of the optimal balance of telehealth and in-person services for people with SMI and SED.

People experiencing homelessness often have complex health care and social service needs which present significant care challenges to hospitals, such as longer lengths of stays, higher readmission rates, and complicated chronic illnesses.

State Medicaid programs have the option to cover supported employment services, but use of these services by the Medicaid population has not been widely studied.

In November 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Medicare Program; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly proposed rule.

Childhood development experts recommend specific practices for afterschool and youth development programs to promote well-being and healthy development, including positive relationships; rich learning experiences and knowledge development; environments filled with safety and belonging; the development of skills, habits, and mindsets; and integrated support systems.

The pipeline and commercial market for novel antimicrobial drugs is insufficient to address current and future patient needs or mitigate the loss of effective treatments as antimicrobial resistance spreads. The U.S. Government implements a range of efforts to ensure sustainable availability of antimicrobial treatments, supporting research, product development, and appropriate use.

The Affordable Care Act Marketplace has led to substantial coverage gains among small business owners and self-employed individuals. The enhanced premium tax credits introduced by the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act have contributed to further increases in Marketplace coverage among small business owners and self-employed workers.  

This issue brief shows coverage gains among young adults under the Affordable Care Act, the American Rescue Plan, and the Inflation Reduction Act. The uninsured rate among this group declined by more than half, from 31.5 percent in 2009 to 13.1 percent in 2023, as employer-sponsored dependent coverage increased by over 20 percent.

The Inflation Reduction Act established a limit on out-of-pocket spending (“the 2024 cap”) for enrollees with very high prescription drug spending in Medicare Part D, for the first time in the history of the program.

Rare cancer clinical trials appear to enroll less diverse participants than clinical trials more broadly and therefore may require additional considerations or unique solutions to diversify participant recruitment. These differences persisted within both NIH and non-NIH funded trials.