Update May 2005:
Since we published the Ideas That Work tool kit in October of 2004, California's SB 2 was overturned on the November 2004 ballot by a razor-thin margin. For more information and new resources, see Addendum l pdf version.
What's in this Tool Kit?
This tool kit is designed to help you determine whether an employer expansion may be feasible in your state and how it might be designed. It includes case studies from Hawaii and California—the only two states where expansion plans are on the books—and state-level data that you can use to compare your state with others. It is organized into seven parts:
- Introduction
- Hawaii Case Study: How has Hawaii fared since the passage 20 years ago of its Prepaid Health Care Act, a law requiring employers to provide health insurance coverage to most workers in the state?
- California Case Study: What can we learn from California's experience with the recently passed—and hotly contested—SB 2 (now also called "Proposition 72"), which phases in employer expansions over the next three years?
- Decision Guide: What are some of the policy issues and political considerations you should weigh when designing an employer expansion plan?
- Guarding against Legal and Ballot Challenges: What are some of the legal and political roadblocks that you will want to keep in mind as you design a campaign?
- Table Notes l Tables for State-Level Data: Where are the biggest gaps in employer-sponsored coverage, and where is the greatest need?
- Resource Guide: What additional resources are available that can help you fully evaluate the potential of employer expansion plans in your state?
