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Public Option, Resources, State Efforts
Medicaid Buy-In: State of Play
As states look for opportunities to control insurance costs, stabilize their insurance markets and provide consumers with more options, Medicaid Buy-in is emerging as a potential solution under consideration in many states. Medicaid Buy-in is generating excitement from both consumer groups and state governments interested in improving health insurance affordability and choice. Fourteen states are in various stages of exploring Medicaid Buy-in, and each state’s approach will likely be designed differently to meet the state’s unique needs.
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State Efforts
North Carolina’s Approach to Creating Opportunities for Health Can Serve as a Model to Other States
One of the core causes of poor health outcomes and high costs of health care are unmet non-medical drivers of health. North Carolina may have found a way to sustainably tackle the fundamental drivers of health as part of their Medicaid Transformation Project. We commend North Carolina for its commitment to tackling the primary drivers of health, and it can serve as a national model for its approach.
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News & Updates
Key Takeaways From A Health Care Election
The 2018 midterm was a health care election. Regardless of political affiliation, people went to the ballot box with health care on their minds. Voters resoundingly supported Medicaid and protection for people with pre-existing conditions.
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News & Updates, State Efforts
USofCare Applauds Passage of Medicaid Expansion Ballot Initiatives
With the passing of Prop. 2 in Idaho, Initiative 427 in Nebraska and Prop 3 in Utah, these three states become the most recent to join the list of states who have expanded Medicaid. The passage of these initiatives shows that when politicians fail to act, the people will. Now that the people have spoken, leaders in these states should move as quickly as possible to implement these expansions so people can get the care they need.
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Mental Health, News & Updates, State Efforts
Duluth News Tribune – Tough days for those in pain – Minnesota must improve its mental health parity
Access to mental health services is elusive for many, and deaths from drug and alcohol misuse and suicide have skyrocketed. Few individuals who have a mental health need get the care they need. In Minnesota, mental health parity must be improved so that it is no longer seen as a separate and distinct element from physical care. Read the full op-ed on Duluth News Tribune.
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News & Updates, State Efforts
In These Four Red States, Health Care is on the Ballot
Polling has consistently shown health care, and health care affordability, to be a top concern of voters heading towards Election Day. Tomorrow, voters in Utah, Nebraska, Idaho, and Montana have the chance to weigh in on health care initiatives and Medicaid expansion. We will be watching closely to see how voters weigh in and how elected officials respond. When you strip away political labels, Americans just want affordable health care.
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Health Care Costs, News & Updates, State Efforts
TIME: Forget ‘Repeal and Replace’ The One Issue Unifying Americans is Affordable Health Care
The one issue unifying Americans is affordable health care. Read this TIME article for more on how solutions to ensure affordable health care must come from the states, not Congress.
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Health Care Costs, Press Release
USofCare and Penn’s Leonard Davis Institute Release Affordability Brief
USofCare and Penn LDI released the first in a series of briefs that will examine the issue of health care affordability. The brief focuses on understanding the different ways that stakeholders conceptualize affordability as well as ways affordability can be defined. Using any definition, it is clear many Americans struggle with the high burden of health care costs. We hope the brief will foster discussion about health care affordability and guide policymakers on issues to consider.
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Health Care Costs, News & Updates
Health Care Affordability: The View from the Kitchen Table
A new brief released today with our research partner Penn LDI discusses different ways to define health care affordability. Affordability can be defined as an economic concept, as a threshold established in law by policymakers, and, most importantly, the kitchen table perspective. Policymakers should carefully consider the conversations that happen around the kitchen table and whether their proposed solutions will help people who need it.