Useful Resources
U.S. Health Care: Reform Ideas Multiply
October 03, 2008
The increasing number of people without insurance -- an estimated 47 million in 2008 -- and growing health care costs are fostering more interest in and movement toward overhaul of the health care system. At the national level and state levels, dozens of proposals are on the table, offered by candidates, businesses, consumer advocates and many others. The proposals range from national health insurance modeled on Medicare to private market options based on tax breaks. Many policy analysts expect substantial movement on the issue in 2009. At the state level, Massachusetts is leading the way, along with less-advanced initiatives in Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Vermont and Maine.
Resource Links
Blogs
This blogger, who founded the National Center on Policy Analysis, promotes private-market approaches to health policy.
A Washington-based consulting firm posts developments in federal health policy and financing.
This blog, from Health Care for All, a state advocacy group, is all about Massachusetts' reform effort.
Hosted by Health Affairs journal, this blog includes news, policy items and views from the magazine's staff and others.
Advocacy
This advocacy organization promotes Massachusetts' initiative.
Advocates in California for a single-payer system.
The National Federation for Independent Business, a small-business association, advocates for universal coverage based on private insurance, tax breaks and cost controls.
This umbrella organization of national and state groups pushes health care for all.
This doctors' group advocates for a single-payer system.
This organization supports grassroots advocacy and focuses on problems in the current system and proposals for increasing coverage.
Public Policy
This site provides a state-by-state summary of private-market approaches to reform.
This article examines how far states can go on their own.
This conservative think tank promotes a free-market approach to health reform.
This point and click national map links to summary information, proposed bills, and analyses by national advocacy group helping push grassroots change.
This think tank studies the possible impacts of proposed expansions in public programs and advocates for making private insurance coverage more affordable.
Massachusetts
Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority provides information about the law and updated statistics, with a positive spin.
This report from the Kaiser Family Foundation summarizes the first two years of progress of Massachusetts health reform.
This website contains numerous reports commissioned by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, which helped spur groundbreaking reform in that state.
Statistics, Trends and Research
Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this program helps states expand coverage and tracks state efforts.
Description of proposed state and federal legislation.
This news weekly is tracking national and state proposals to expand coverage, including a description and link to each proposal.
Regularly updated news and analysis on candidates' proposals, and links to videos and podcasts.
National and state numbers collected yearly.
Understanding the Issue
This private foundation, which seeks to promote a high performing health care system, evaluates proposals for reform and highlights outcomes of various models. Report in October 2007 called "A Roadmap to Health Insurance for All" (http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/publications_show.htm?doc_i...) provides a good overview.
Nonpartisan foundation assesses state and federal proposals for reform, from tax credits to expansions of public programs.
