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Evolving State Approaches to Expand Coverage in the Current Wave of State Access Reform

Jennifer King,
JK
Jennifer King
Amy Lischko,
AL
Amy Lischko
Aaron McKethan, and
AM
Aaron McKethan
Nadia Nguyen
NN
Nadia Nguyen

July 24, 2009

Overview: In the latest wave of state access reform, states are undertaking a range of initiatives to improve the availability and affordability of health insurance in the small and non-group markets. Some of the approaches implemented today—including health insurance purchasing exchanges and limited-benefit plans—are variations on approaches attempted by states in earlier waves of health reform.

While these past efforts were helpful to the individuals who enrolled, they generally did not result in broad-based coverage expansions. To the extent that today’s initiatives are evolving to address lessons from past efforts, current efforts could advance our understanding of the types of policies that will likely succeed in expanding coverage in the small and non-group markets and inform future state and national health reform efforts.

Read the full article, “Evolving State Approaches to Expand Coverage in the Current Wave of State Access Reform”  (PDF, external site) »