Health Care Coverage

Resources 

by Alan Greenblatt, Governing Magazine
This report focuses on states’ increased efforts to provide universal healthcare to their residents. It covers the success of Washington State and Massachusetts as, the change in political discourse, and the challenges in federal law.

Health Care Policy in Illinois (January 2007)
by John Bouman, Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
Bouman presented the growing healthcare concerns for Illinois at The Mobility Agenda’s Chicago Roundtable. He also explains the work of the Adequate Health Care Task Force and recommends the future approaches to expand healthcare coverage.

Progressive States' Stateside Dispatch: Health Care in 2007 (January 29, 2007)
by Progressivestates.org
The Progressivestates.org website is a clearinghouse for news on progressive state legislation. This webpage focuses on states’ efforts in healthcare, a growing concern for 2007, and it goes into detail on specific state policies.

State Strategies to Expand Health Insurance Coverage: Trends and Lessons for Policymakers (January 2007)
by Alice Burton, Isabel Friedenzohn, and Enrique Martinez-Vidal, The Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System
This paper summarizes the State of the States 2007: Building Hope, Raising Expectations, an annual report of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s State Coverage Initiative. In it, state approaches to increase insurance coverage are discussed and federally-supported state experimentation is encouraged as a promising way to make progress.

Health Care Coverage in the News 

Politics, Poverty, Immigration Entangle Texas Health Care (12/4/2007)
by Jason Roberson, The Dallas Morning News
Texas lawmakers voted to increase funding for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program but rejected a more comprehensive reform proposed by grassroots coalitions and healthcare think tanks. This article explores the complexity of the issue and how immigration, economic insecurity, and Texas's political leadership have affected the debate.

A Health Plan for Wal-Mart: Less Stinginess (11/13/2007)
by Michael Barbaro and Reed Abelson, The New York Times
Wal-Mart, the nation's largest employer has improved its insurance coverage for many of its workers due to pressure from state legislatures and subsequent damage to its reputation and ability to expand.

Employer-Provided Insurance Continues to Decline (11/12/2007)
by Julie Appleby, USA Today
This USA Today article highlights the growing numbers of uninsured workers and introduces policy proposals to increase coverage.

State Launches New Health Insurance Program for Poorest Residents (10/2/2006)
by Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press
Massachusetts initiated its health insurance program, which qualifies its poorest residents for free coverage as part of Massachusetts’ goal of state required health insurance. This article explains the program and the controversy that was generated over the law, which may leave as many as 40,000 children without coverage.

'Wal-Mart Law' in Md. Rejected by Court (7/20/2006)
by Matthew Mosk and Ylan Q. Mui, Washington Post
A Maryland law requiring businesses that employ more than 10,000 workers to provide at least eight percent of their payroll on health coverage was overturned by U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz. Motz found the law to be a federal issue and overturned the legislation, alarming labor unions, health care advocates, and the Maryland public.

San Francisco Oks Universal Health Plan (7/19/2006)
by Lisa Leff, Associated Press
San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a plan to provide health coverage for all residents regardless of immigration or employment status and would be financed by local government, mandatory employer contributions, and income-adjusted premiums.