Health Reform Implementation: The First 90 Days
A State Advocate's To-Do List

---

Congratulations! You have achieved a massive, historic victory for health care consumers in America. Take time to celebrate, and then get ready to roll up your sleeves and start implementing all the new protections and opportunities that health reform will bring to your state.

To help you get the ball rolling, here is a “to-do” list of tasks for state advocates to take on in the first 90 days to ensure that health reform is implemented effectively and in the most consumer-friendly way. We also offer resources to help you prepare for implementation, along with more technical materials that examine the parts of this law that will need to be put into motion over the coming years.

The First Reforms that Will Take Effect

Temporary Coverage for Uninsured People with Pre-Existing Conditions
(Section 1101 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) 

Grants for Consumer Assistance Offices or Health Insurance Ombudsman Programs
(Section 1002 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Creates Part C, Section 2793 of the Public Health Services Act) 

Grants for Rate Review
(Section 1003, as amended by section 10101, of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Creates Section 2794 of the Public Health Services Act)

Small Business Tax Credit
(Section 1421, as amended by section 10105, of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Creates Section 45R(d)(3) of the IRS Code of 1986)

Medicaid and CHIP Maintenance of Effort (MOE) Requirements
(Section 2001(b) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Amends Section 1902 of the Social Security Act)

Option to Expand Medicaid Before 2014
(Section 2001(a)(4), as amended by Section 10201(b), of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Amends Section 1902 of the Social Security Act)

Changes to Community Benefit Requirements for Nonprofit Hospitals
(Section 9007, as amended by Section 10903 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Amends Section 501(r)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986)

Other Reforms that Go into Effect Later This Year

[Return to Health Reform Central home]