U.S. State Health Policy, Public Opinion & Research

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Statehealthfacts.org
This redesigned and updated website provides the latest state-level data on demographics, health, and health policy, including health coverage, access, financing, and state legislation and budgets.

New Analysis Shows Effect of Rising Unemployment on Health Coverage, Medicaid and SCHIP Spending and Enrollment
Every one percentage point rise in the unemployment rate leads to a 1.1 million increase in the uninsured population and a one million increase in Medicaid and SCHIP enrollment, according to a new Kaiser analysis. Another report analyzes the history of Medicaid during recent economic downturns.

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Pulling it Together: About Kaiser Health News -- May 2009
In his latest essay for "Pulling It Together, From Drew Altman," the Foundation's President and CEO discusses the motivation behind launching Kaiser Health News, a new nonprofit health policy news service.

Trends in Medicaid Physician Fees, 2003-2008 -- April 2009

A study published in Health Affairs provides the first national and state-by-state update of Medicaid physician fees since 2003. It shows that Medicaid physician fees grew by more than 15 percent from 2003 to 2008, narrowing the gap with Medicare -- but losing ground to inflation.

Webinar: Health Policy Provisions of ARRA -- April 2009
The Kaiser Family Foundation and the National Conference of State Legislatures co-sponsored a webinar on key health policy aspects of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The webinar for state legislative health chairs and their staffs, provided an overview of provisions on Medicaid, COBRA and health information technology, among other subjects.

New, Updated Resources on Community Health Centers -- March 2009

The Kaiser Family Foundation has issued three new resources that examine the role of community health centers as a key components of the U.S. health care system, providing primary care to more than 16 million patients nationwide in 2007.

How Is The Primary Care Safety Net Faring in Massachusetts? Community Health Centers In The Midst of Health Reform -- March 2009

This report examines how community health centers have fared under Massachusetts' health reform law.

The Role of Section 1115 Waivers in Medicaid and CHIP: Looking Back and Looking Forward -- March 2009

Section 1115 waivers have provided important opportunities for states to test innovative coverage approaches in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, but have also raised some issues. This brief reviews the experience of Section 1115 Medicaid and CHIP waivers and offers a range of options the Obama administration could consider for future waivers.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA): Medicaid and Health Care Provisions -- March 2009

This fact sheet examines the assistance for Medicaid programs and key health provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. It includes a breakdown of additional federal allocations to states for Medicaid costs under the act.

Missouri's 2005 Medicaid Cuts: How Did They Affect Enrollees and Providers? -- February 2009
This study, prepared for the Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, examines the result of sweeping cutbacks that Missouri instituted in its Medicaid program in 2005 in response to state budget shortfalls.

The Role of Medicaid in State Economies: A Look at the Research -- January 2009

This policy brief synthesizes the results of 29 studies in 23 states that examine the role Medicaid plays in state and local economies. These studies estimate the economic stimulus derived from Medicaid spending, and also analyze the adverse effects on the state economy from reducing Medicaid spending.

Reports Examine Impact of Economic Turmoil on Health Coverage and State Medicaid Programs -- January 2009

The Kaiser Family Foundation issued several new reports looking at how the recession and growing unemployment is affecting people's health coverage and state Medicaid programs. The new reports were released in conjunction with an Alliance for Health Reform briefing.

In his latest essay for "Pulling It Together, From Drew Altman," the Foundation's President and CEO discusses the motivation behind launching Kaiser Health News, a new nonprofit health policy news service.

The Kaiser Family Foundation and the National Conference of State Legislatures co-sponsored a webinar on key health policy aspects of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The webinar for state legislative health chairs and their staffs, provided an overview of provisions on Medicaid, COBRA and health information technology, among other subjects.

This report examines how community health centers have fared under Massachusetts' health reform law.

This study, prepared for the Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, examines the result of sweeping cutbacks that Missouri instituted in its Medicaid program in 2005 in response to state budget shortfalls.

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State Health Policy

States play a major role in the delivery and financing of health care and public health in the United States. Insurance regulation, Medicaid policy and financing of public health services, and many reproductive health policies are under state jurisdiction. States operate their own Medicaid programs within broad federal guidelines, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for low-income children, and in some cases also offer additional health care programs such as discount drug programs for seniors.

In recent years, states have been facing major budget shortfalls. These fiscal constraints have broad implications for many aspects of the health care financing and delivery system. Recent reductions to Medicaid coverage and benefit packages have been a reversal from the programs expansions of the late 1990s when states experienced unprecedented budget surpluses. State legislatures are also playing an increasingly important role in health policy, enacting legislation on issues that have been controversial and slow-moving at the national level, such as patients’ rights and reproductive health.

The Foundation’s work in state health policy cuts across nearly all of the Foundation’s policy priority areas. The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured analyzes state Medicaid and SCHIP programs, and tracks changes states are making to their Medicaid programs as a result of their deteriorating fiscal conditions. The California Health Policy Program provides information and analysis about health policy issues and key trends in the nation's largest and most diverse state. Nearly all of the Foundation’s priority areas collect and conduct analyses on state-based policies. Much of this information is presented in State Health Facts Online, a web-based interactive database, including demographic information, health insurance coverage rates, Medicaid and Medicare enrollment, spending and policies, private insurance mandates, health care financing and delivery information, as well as disease and mortality statistics.