The State Health Reform Assistance Network (The State Network) was officially launched with a kick-off meeting in Chicago from July 13-15. The initiative, which includes 10 state participants, is the primary avenue through which the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will provide technical assistance to states for implementation of health reform related to coverage over the next several years. The program is coordinated from Princeton University with significant support from State Coverage Initiatives (SCI), an RWJF program housed at AcademyHealth. Technical assistance is being offered through several leading national organizations including: the Center for Health Care Strategies; Georgetown University; Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, LLP; the National Academy for State Health Policy; the State Health Access Data Assistance Center; and the Wakely Consulting Group.
The State Network will focus on helping states set up insurance exchanges, institute insurance market reforms, expand Medicaid to newly eligible populations, streamline eligibility and enrollment systems, and use data to drive decisions. The State Network is just one strategy being employed by RWJF to help achieve its goal of ensuring coverage for 95 percent of all Americans.
