The Connection

A roundup of recent Fund publications, charts, multimedia, and other timely content.

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February 24, 2025

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Expiring Tax Credits May Raise Health Plan Prices

Many people who enroll in health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces are eligible for tax credits to help pay their premiums. During the early part of the pandemic, Congress made these credits more generous, which drove record enrollment and made ACA plans more affordable. But unless lawmakers vote to extend the enhanced credits, they’ll expire after 2025. Our new explainer shows what the enhanced tax credits’ impact has been and what might happen if no action is taken.

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Health Policy at a Crossroads

Health Affairs Forefront’s “Health Policy at a Crossroads” is a new series focusing on health care changes in the Trump era. Sponsored by the Commonwealth Fund, it aims to highlight the most consequential legislative, regulatory, and judicial developments while also shedding light on the values and trade-offs involved. Whether it’s coverage, access, or payment issues you’re interested in, or regulation and guidance from the FDA and CDC, “Health Policy at a Crossroads” is must reading for any policy wonk.

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FEATURED CHART

Affordability of Dental and Vision Services in Medicare

Dental and vision care is essential to health and well-being, yet many Medicare beneficiaries aren’t covered for these often costly services. On To the Point, Julie Lee and Janet P. Sutton examine the affordability and use of this care, focusing on adults under age 65 who qualify for Medicare because of a disability. The researchers find that while more enrollees in Medicare Advantage plans have dental and vision coverage compared to those in traditional Medicare, a similar percentage in both groups with this coverage ended up using these services.

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QUIZ

What percentage of enrollees in Medicare Advantage plans say they’ve used commonly offered supplemental benefits like dental, vision, and hearing?

- 40%
- 50%
- 60%
- 70%

Scroll down to see if you got it right.

Medicare Advantage or Traditional Medicare?

Medicare Advantage plans, while popular, have drawbacks, including limited provider networks. That’s why sicker beneficiaries and those with complex health conditions may opt for traditional Medicare instead. Writing on To the Point, researchers Grace McCormack and Erin Trish say that Medicare Advantage plans with narrow provider networks “meaningfully change the way beneficiaries use care.” Enrollees would likely use out-of-network care more if it were covered similarly to in-network care. At the same time, greater access to out-of-network providers could constrain plans’ ability to negotiate lower provider prices.

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What People on Medicare Have to Say About Drug Costs

Most Medicare enrollees rely on more than one prescription medication every day, yet many struggle to afford their prescriptions. A new report from the Commonwealth Fund and Arnold Ventures explores focus group findings to understand the coping strategies people use to get the medications they depend on. The findings reveal that some Medicare enrollees track their plan’s list of approved drugs to determine how changes in coverage affect their out-of-pocket costs. Others turn to their physician for help with finding affordable drugs, though some providers reported being uncomfortable in this role.

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What the World’s Best Parental Leave Policy Looks Like

When new parents get paid leave, lots of good things happen. Mothers and babies are healthier in the short and long term, and families are more financially secure. When both parents take leave, babies are less likely to have low birthweight and less likely to be born preterm. Despite these benefits, the U.S. remains the only high-income country without a national paid leave policy. In the latest issue of International Insights, the Commonwealth Fund’s Munira Gunja considers how other countries are setting the standard — and what America can do to better support families.

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Briefing: Medicare’s Impact on Primary Care

Join Primary Care for America (PCfA) on Tuesday, March 11, from 1:30–3:30 p.m. for “Navigating Medicare’s Impact on Primary Care.” Hosted by PCfA in partnership with the Commonwealth Fund, the policy briefing, to be held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., will explore the profound impacts of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS), and the Relative Value Update Committee (RUC) on primary care.

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Pediatricians Work to Overcome Medical Mistrust

The measles outbreak in West Texas ([link removed] ) , where vaccination uptake is notably lower than elsewhere in the state, highlights the importance of education and trust when it comes to public health. Learn what Transforming Care has found about how some pediatricians are overcoming mistrust of vaccines ([link removed] ) , including by emphasizing empathy rather than argument in interactions with parents.

QUIZ: Answer

The answer is A. Just two of five beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage plans reported using commonly offered supplemental benefits.

Enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans has grown for a number of years. Part of why they’re popular is the extra services they cover, including dental, vision, and hearing care — services that traditional Medicare doesn’t cover. In a new report, Commonwealth Fund researchers examine survey data to better understand how much people in Medicare Advantage value their supplemental coverage ([link removed] ) , which benefits they value the most, and how often they use these services. Overall, about four of five beneficiaries said these extra benefits are important to them. Those who are Black or Hispanic, have lower incomes, or have functional limitations were the groups most likely to say they valued these benefits.

Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.

The Commonwealth Fund, 1 East 75th Street, New York, NY 10021

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