State by state, consumer advocates are working together and with their policymakers to find solutions and expand health care coverage. Learn from the challenges, collaborations, and opportunities that states face, resolve, and continue to grapple with as they work to change the health care system so it works for everyone.

• December 01, 2007
  Revisiting Massachusetts Health Reform: 18 Months Later from Community Catalyst The Massachusetts health care reform law included a number of new and untested ideas, but also left certain critical decisions to implementation. This paper looks at enrollment and coverage in the first year-and-a-half of implementation and examines many of the decisions that have been made throughout the last 18 months and the role of consumer health advocacy in each of them.
• November 01, 2007
  Leading the Way? Maine’s Initial Experience in Expanding Coverage through Dirigo Health Reforms from Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. Based on several interim indicators and measures, this report evaluates Dirigo Health’s progress in expanding insurance coverage at the end of 2006, midway between the legislation’s adoption and the 2009 goal. It focuses on enrollment trends and implementation experience with DirigoChoice and MaineCare, two coverage initiatives authorized under the Dirigo Health Act.
• July 01, 2007
  The State of Health Insurance in California from UCLA Center for Health Policy Research This publication shows that the continued erosion of California's job-based health insurance -- which the vast majority of insured residents rely upon to pay for medical services -- is a clear indication of the need to reform the state's health care system.
• December 01, 2006
  Understanding Health Reform in Vermont from Community Catalyst In late 2006, the state of Vermont passed legislation, known as Catamount Health, to reduce the number of uninsured and bring it within striking distance of universal coverage. This paper looks at what the Vermont law does, how it came to pass, and what lessons there may be for other states.
• April 01, 2006
  Massachusetts Health Reform: What it Does; How it was Done; Challenges Ahead from Community Catalyst In 2006, the Massachusetts Legislature voted to approve legislation to extend health insurance coverage to hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents. At the same time, the legislation leaves many critical questions about the scope and cost of benefits and the obligations of individuals to purchase coverage unanswered. This report outlines what the law really does and what the factors were that led to its passage and explores questions about the important unknowns that remain and lessons for other states.
• February 05, 2004
  Dirigo Health: What does Maine’s New Health Care Law Mean for Other States from Community Catalyst On June 18th,2003, Maine governor John Baldacci signed into law a comprehensive health care initiative know as Dirigo Health. Dirigo is Latin for “I lead”, the state motto. This issue brief provides an overview of Dirigo Health and outlines areas that might inform the health policy debate in other states as well.