Publications: 2009
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At a Crossroads: Is Health Coverage Ahead for America? examines how the Senate health reform bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, will affect health coverage. It provides state-specific numbers on how many people will gain coverage under the bill, as well as how many people will be uninsured without health reform. 9 pp. Print copies free (December 2009)
Expiration of COBRA Subsidy: Millions of Unemployed Workers and Their Dependents Are at Risk; Many Will Lose Their Subsidy as of December 1, 2009 provides state-specific data on what will happen to family COBRA premiums when the subsidy ends, and it argues for extending the COBRA assistance. 7 pp. Print copies free (December 2009)
Medicare Advantage: Senate Bill Makes Necessary Changes discusses several long-overdue changes that the Senate health reform bill would make, including rolling back the billions of dollars in overpayments that go to these plans. 2 pp. Print copies free (December 2009)
Your Medical Bills: A Consumer's Guide to Coping with Medical Debt covers steps for paying your medical bills, understanding your rights, and other information you need to know if you are struggling with medical debt. The guide also includes links to many useful online resources. 19 pp. Print copies free | Fact Sheet | State Protections (November 2009)
The Republican Health Reform Proposal: A Destructive Alternative contrasts the Republicans' proposal with the Affordable Health Care for America Act, finding that the eleventh-hour proposal fails to address the key concerns of businesses and families. 7 pp. Print copies free (November 2009)
Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: Improving Access to Home- and Community-Based Services in Medicaid discusses how health care reform will give states incentives to strengthen home- and community-based services in Medicaid. 4 pp. Print copies free (October 2009)
One-Two Punch: Unemployed and Uninsured takes a more in-depth look at the link between unemployment and uninsurance to get a clearer picture of the crisis of the uninsured. The report provides state-by-state numbers showing the likely magnitude of the increase in the uninsured due to rising unemployment. 13 pp. Print copies $5.00 (October 2009)
Senate Amendment on Wellness Program Surcharges Jeopardizes Access to Affordable Coverage and Care describes the concerns with an amendment under consideration in the Senate health reform bill that would allow employers and insurers to charge heath insurance enrollees larger surcharges for failing to meet "wellness" plan goals than are currently allowed. 2 pp. Print copies free (October 2009)
Help for Small Businesses discusses how small businesses face a disadvantage when it comes to providing health insurance and how health reform will help remedy this situation. 3 pp. Print copies free (October 2009)
Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Soften the Blow during Tough Economic Times discusses how these programs have served as an effective health care safety net for many newly uninsured families, particularly for children. 3 pp. Print copies free (October 2009)
Health Coverage in the States: How Will Health Reform Help? analyzes how the House health reform bill, America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, would address many of the gaps and problems in the health care systems of specific states. 8 pp. Print copies free (September-October 2009)
The Essential Benefits Package in the House Health Reform Bill (H.R. 3200) examines the proposed benefits package for the plans in the exchange, discusses the benefits committee and its responsibilities, and outlines issues that advocates should monitor as health reform moves forward. 6 pp. Print copies free (September 2009)
Bridging the Gap: How Health Reform Will Help 55- to 64-Year-Olds discusses how the health reform legislation currently before Congress will make insurance more available and affordable for 55- to 64-year-olds and provide coverage stability for this age group. 6 pp. Print copies free (September 2009)
Health Coverage in Communities of Color: Talking about the New Census Numbers takes a closer look at the latest data and finds that communities of color continue to bear the brunt of the uninsured crisis. This fact sheet looks at who is uninsured, poverty levels of different racial and ethnic groups, and why public programs are vital to communities of color. 4 pp. Print copies free (September 2009)
Got health insurance? Think you don't need reform? Think Again! discusses five ways that health reform will help insured people. 1 p. Print copies free (August 2009)
What's Next for CHIP-Funded Adult Coverage? examines how the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) changes coverage for parents and for adults without dependent children. 11 pp. Print copies $5.00 (August 2009)
Better Coverage for Children discusses how the health reform legislation that is before Congress will help cover uninsured children, and their families, by making insurance more available and affordable and by expanding Medicaid. 4 pp. Print copies free (August 2009)
Comparative Effectiveness Research: A Potential Tool for Reducing Health Care Disparities counters misinformation about comparative effectiveness research and outlines steps to take to make it more useful in the fight against health care disparities. 4 pp. Print copies free. (August 2009)
Costly Coverage: Premiums Outpace Paychecks examines how the combination of stagnant wages and skyrocketing health insurance costs is placing a growing strain on family budgets. These state-specific reports show how health insurance premiums for families and individuals have risen over the last decade compared to earnings. 13 pp. Print copies $5.00 (August 2009)
Help for People with Medicare discusses how the health reform legislation that is before Congress will help make Medicare more affordable for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as help make the program more financially secure. 3 pp. Print copies free (August 2009)
Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: Key Health Equity Provisions examines several measures in the health reform proposals that are before Congress that will address inequities in the health care system. 3 pp. Print copies free (August 2009)
Responding to Attacks on Health Reform offers reasoned responses to the misinformation, and in some cases, outright lies, that are being used by those opposing health reform. (August 2009)
Setting the Record Straight on Medicare dispels several myths about health reform and explains how health reform will help Medicare beneficiaries and strengthen the program. 1 p. Print copies free (August 2009) l Large Print
Understanding the Role of the "Exchange" or "Gateway" discusses the new health insurance marketplace, or exchange, that is being developed in national health reform proposals. This short piece looks at how an exchange would work and how it could help middle-class and low-income families find and keep the affordable, quality health care they deserve. 4 pp. Print copies free. (July 2009)
10 Reasons to Support the Health Care Reform Bills provides a quick rundown of the most exciting provisions in the health reform bills pending in Congress, including provisions that will help middle-class and low-income families, small businesses, and seniors and people with disabilities. 7 pp. Print copies free (July 2009)
The Clock Is Ticking: More Americans Losing Health Coverage provides the first ever state-by-state data on the number of people who may lose health coverage between the beginning of 2008 and the end of 2010. Numbers are broken down per week, per month, and per year. 5 pp. Print copies $5.00 (July 2009)
Coverage for America: We All Stand to Gain provides state-by-state estimates of how many people will gain coverage under the House health reform bill, known as America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009. 6 pp. Print copies $5.00 (July 2009)
Why Is a Public Insurance Plan an Important Part of Health Reform? looks at how a high-quality, affordable public plan will help lower health care costs and add a solid option to the health insurance marketplace. 3 pp. Print copies free (July 2009)
What Is a "Special Enrollment Opportunity" and Why Should I Care about It? discusses who may have the option of signing up for job-based health coverage when it isn't open season. 4 pp. Print copies free. (June 2009)
Why Employers Should Share the Responsibility of Paying for Health Care discusses five reasons why it makes sense to require employers to contribute to the cost of health coverage, known as an "employer responsibility requirement." 3 pp. Print copies free. (June 2009)
Investing in Health Coverage: It Just Makes Sense explores four key reasons why we all have a stake in making sure everyone has health coverage. 4 pp. Print copies free. (June 2009)
More Funding for CHIP, Different Rules: How Does CHIPRA Change CHIP Funding? summarizes the new federal financing rules for CHIP, as well as the improvements to the financing system that will help ensure that states have the funding they need to get more children covered. 12 pp. Print copies $5.00 (June 2009)
The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA): Addressing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities examines four key provisions in the new law: investing in outreach, increasing access for legal immigrant children and pregnant women, increased funding for interpretation and translation services, and establishing new quality of care measures. It also includes action steps for advocates. 12 pp. Print copies $5.00 (June 2009)
Hidden Health Tax: Americans Pay a Premium discusses how private health insurance premiums are higher, in part, because the costs of uncompensated care for the uninsured are shifted to those who have insurance, a "hidden health tax." The report quantifies this "tax" for family and individual coverage. 32 pp. Print copies $10.00 (May 2009)
CoverTN, Tennessee's Barebones Health Plan: A Case Study uses Tennessee's barebones health plan as an example to examine how limited-benefit plans fail to meet the health coverage needs of consumers. 16 pp. Print copies free. (May 2009)
Key Priorities to Help Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries discusses three actions Congress should take to improve the Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) and the Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) as part of health reform. 1 page. Print copies free. (May 2009)
Medicare: Helping Low-Income Seniors and People with Disabilities examines the high out-of-pocket costs Medicare beneficiaries face and how health reform should improve existing programs that help them afford these costs. 2 pp. Print copies free. (May 2009)
CMS Guidance on Increased Medicaid Funding Provides Important Protections for Medicaid Consumers discusses two important aspects of the guidance, the maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement, and how the enhanced FMAP will be applied to states that expanded Medicaid eligibility after July 1, 2008. 3 pp. Print copies free. (April 2009)
Too Great a Burden: Americans Face Rising Health Care Costs reveals how many Americans face very high health care costs and shows the magnitude of the health care cost crisis. The report provides data on how many people are in families that will spend more than 10 percent or 25 percent of their pre-tax income on health care in 2009. 30 pp. Print copies $15.00 (April 2009)
Health Care Must Be Affordable for All Families, Regardless of Income presents crucial arguments for why health reform must ensure that health care is truly affordable. It proposes placing reasonable limits on out-of-pocket costs and providing subsidies, especially for those with low and moderate incomes. 2 pp. Print copies free (April 2009)
Covering the Uninsured in Medicaid describes the critical role Medicaid must play in ensuring coverage for all low-income Americans as part of health care reform. 2 pp. Print copies free (April 2009)
The Medicare Drug Benefit: How Much Will You Pay? These tables can help you estimate what you'll pay for prescription drugs under the Medicare drug benefit, including those enrolled in Medicaid. (updated April 2009)
Covering More Children, Rewarding Success: State Performance Bonuses discusses the new system of performance bonuses created by the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA). These bonuses are designed to reward states for enrolling more uninsured low-income children in Medicaid. 12 pp. Print copies $2.00 (April 2009)
States Act to Help People Laid Off from Small Firms: More Needs to Be Done discusses how, in response to pressure from advocates, some states are taking steps toward passing "mini-COBRA" laws to help laid off workers from small firms get the federal subsidy guaranteed through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). 8 pp. Print copies free. (April 2009)
Global Health Initiative Resource Tool Kit: The kit includes information on global infectious diseases and the role the U.S. government plays in researching those diseases; advocacy tips; and links to other resources, including links to our reports that show why research funding and global health matter to states as well. Print copies $25. (March 2009)
Chagas, leishmaniasis, and Buruli ulcer are among a group of diseases classified as “neglected infectious diseases”—diseases that affect more than 1 billion people worldwide but that are neglected in terms of research and disease control. They are most common in the poorest regions around the globe. These disease-specific fact sheets profile eight of these diseases—what they are, who gets them, what treatments are available, and what the U.S. government spends on research for each. 4 pp. Print copies free. (April 2009) For more information, see also our December 2008 report, The World Can't Wait: More Funding Needed for Research on Neglected Infectious Diseases.
Health Care Reform: Critical to Closing the Gap for Communities of Color presents a more in-depth look at data on the uninsured, which reveal alarming racial and ethnic disparities in health coverage. 2 pp. Print copies free (March 2009)
Americans at Risk: One in Three Uninsured presents data showing that 86.7 million people were uninsured for some period of time during 2007-2008. The report also offers a closer look at the number of uninsured, who they are, and how long they are uninsured, and it discusses the major reasons for the growth in the number of uninsured. 31 pp. Print copies $15.00 (March 2009)
Have health insurance? Think you're well protected? Think Again! This one-page fact sheet provides quick stats on how health care expenses overwhelm even insured working families, forcing many into bankruptcy. 1 p. Free (Updated March 2009)
CHIPRA 101: Overview of the CHIP Reauthorization Legislation discusses the major provisions of the reauthorization, including those pertaining to new funding, changes in eligibility, getting more children enrolled, and improving children's health. Print copies $2.00 (March 2009)
Getting Covered: Finding Health Insurance When You Lose Your Job is designed to help consumers who've lost their health coverage sort through possible options for new coverage, including COBRA, Medicaid, CHIP, other federal and state programs, and the individual market. 11 pp. Print copies $2.00 (February 2009)
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: House Bill Health Coverage Provisions for the Unemployed Are Essential describes key differences in the health coverage provisions in the Senate and House versions of the economic recovery package, namely temporary Medicaid for unemployed workers and COBRA subsidies, and explains why the House provisions are crucial for helping unemployed workers and their families keep health coverage. 2 pp. Print copies free. (February 2009)
Unemployed and Uninsured in America analyzes the health coverage status of unemployed workers with low and moderate incomes, including national and state-level data. 5 pp. Print copies $2.00 (February 2009)
Critical Care: The Economic Recovery Package and Medicaid The states have enacted or are proposing cuts to Medicaid and CHIP. This report examines those cuts and provides state-level estimates of the economic impact of the temporary increase in federal Medicaid funding proposed in the President's stimulus package. 14 pp. Print copies $5.00 (January 2009)
Protecting Unemployed Workers' Health Coverage: What States Can Do discusses how states can help unemployed workers keep or obtain health coverage during these turbulent economic times. 16 pp. Free (January 2009)
Yes We Can...Cover More than 4 Million Uninsured Children shows how many children would gain coverage in all 50 states and the District of Columbia under the CHIP reauthorization bill passed by the House (H.R. 2). 5 pp. Print copies $5.00 (January 2009)
A Shot in the Arm for West Virginia: Increasing Health Coverage for Working Families discusses the state's opportunity to reduce the number of uninsured residents by expanding Medicaid to more parents. The report also examines how expanding parent coverage could boost the state's economy, creating new jobs, wages, and business activity. 13 pp. Print copies $5.00 (January 2009)
Squeezed! Caught between Unemployment Benefits and Health Care Costs examines COBRA coverage and unemployment benefits and finds that, to maintain their employer-based coverage under COBRA, most unemployed workers would have to devote an unrealistically high proportion of their unemployment check to health insurance. 13 pp. Print copies $10.00 (January 2009)
The Hidden Link: Health Costs and Family Economic Insecurity examines the crisis in family health care costs and shows why it will be impossible to restore family economic security without health reform that achieves quality, affordable coverage for all. 5 pp. Print copies $2.00 (January 2009)
