The Affordable Care Act is national in scope, but the task of implementing it will fall heavily on the states. States are responsible for implementing a significant Medicaid expansion, creating new health insurance exchanges, and enforcing new market rules for insurance. How they go about this will determine the success of the federal law and its potential to improve overall health system performance. Read more »
The following Snapshots describe how three states—Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Virginia—are taking different steps to prepare for health care reform implementation. Read more »
Colorado is one of many states that will have a new governor in January 2011. The current administration considered how to prioritize the tasks related to national reform, and how to leave behind a good transition plan and roadmap for the incoming team. Read more »
Pennsylvania is building on its existing Office of Health Care Reform, established by Governor Edward G. Rendell in 2003, to implement national reform. In May 2010, the governor issued an executive order to expand the Office to include a new Health Care Reform Implementation Committee of cabinet-level officials from health and human services agencies and a new Health Care Reform Advisory Committee comprising the same officials as well as stakeholder representatives and experts. Read more »
Virginia is among the 21 states with a lawsuit challenging the federal health care legislation, but it is also preparing to implement reform, acknowledging that the legal challenge may take years to resolve and the federal law may prevail. Read more »