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SCI keeps the Federal Reform Resources Web page up-to-date with the most recent information from the states, the federal government, and health policy organizations in an effort to guide our readers through the health reform implementation process. We know there are several places to go for the latest health reform resources, and we thank you for using SCI as one of your trusted sources. Here are some of the most recent resources that can be found on our Federal Reform page:

 

 

This new fact sheet provides an overview of how pre-existing condition exclusions are regulated under current law, and how the ACA will change those regulations in 2014.

 

 

Employers’ Use of Health Insurance Exchanges: Lessons from Massachusetts 

Mark A. Hall, J.D., Wake Forest University, a professor of law and public health in the Division of Public Health Sciences at Wake Forest University Medical School, is completing a qualitative investigation of employers’ use of the Massachusetts Connector in order to inform states and the federal government about best strategies for the design and operation of new small-group health insurance exchanges and market regulations.

 

In this new NYS Health-funded report, the Community Service Society (CSS) puts the spotlight on a critical feature of the Health Insurance Exchange that has thus far been widely overlooked: consumer safeguards. Basic consumer supports, accessible appeal rights, and quick dispute resolution can ensure fair and accurate determinations of eligibility and maximize coverage.

 

 

This report presents the findings of the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU) and Health Management Associates (HMA) annual budget survey of Medicaid officials in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It provides an overview of changes in reimbursement, eligibility, benefits, delivery systems, and long-term care, as well as state-by-state information. It further examines four-state specific case studies of the Medicaid budget and policy decisions in Massachusetts, Ohio, Oregon and Texas.

 

The Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation and the University of Michigan released a report indicating that if Michigan were to pursue the Medicaid expansion, the State could bring coverage to nearly 620,000 individuals and see savings of $1 billion over 10 years, net of the cost of expansion.

 

This report analyzes the fiscal impacts of Medicaid expansion in Mississippi. The author projects that Medicaid expansions will initially pay for themselves, but they will pose additional fiscal burdens to the state beginning in 2017 through 2020. 

 

On September 27th, 2012, the National Governors Association (NGA) partnered with the State Network to host a webinar for state officials highlighting the Medicaid Expansion Analysis Tool in order to aid officials in their own state analyses.  During the webinar, State Network experts from State Health Access Data Assistance Center, Center for Health Care Strategies, and Manatt Health Solutions walked through the cost and savings elements for Medicaid expansion financial analyses and state-specific assumption considerations.  Additional financial impacts outside the table shell (e.g. disproportionate share hospital payments), as well as a list of  state and national resources (with embedded hyperlinks), were included to help further guide states in conducting Medicaid expansion analyses.

 

 

New data show states’ tax collections grew for the 10th straight quarter through mid-2012. However, growth rates in state tax revenues have slowed, and state revenues are still lower in nominal and real terms than they were in 2008.

 

 

This briefing describes the discussion of state and national leaders at an April 2012 meeting on the alignment of HIT and health care transformation activities at the state, local and national levels, including a description of the challenges leaders identified, successful strategies that leading states are currently using to address these challenges, and the leaders’ recommendations for next steps.