The Real Cost of Coverage: Insights from KFF Data

About this episode

The episode discusses the impact of rising healthcare costs on consumers' insurance choices and financial health, featuring insights from KFF data.

In this episode of Healthcare Happy Hour, host David Saltzman sits down with Lunna Lopez, senior survey manager at the Kaiser Family Foundation, to examine how rising healthcare costs are affecting consumers’ insurance decisions and overall financial well-being. Drawing on recent KFF survey data, they explore how increases in premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs are forcing many marketplace enrollees to make difficult trade-offs—such as cutting back on basic household expenses or dropping coverage altogether. The conversation highlights the emotional toll of navigating coverage decisions, including widespread feelings of stress, confusion, and frustration, and discusses how affordability challenges may influence consumer behavior, market stability, and broader policy and voting dynamics.

People in this episode

Host: David Saltzman

Guest: Lunna Lopez

Topics covered

• healthcare costs
• insurance decisions
• financial well-being
• KFF survey data

Keywords

• premiums
• deductibles
• out-of-pocket costs
• marketplace enrollees
• affordability challenges

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Real Cost of Coverage: Insights

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