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Major IHPS Project in California |
Informing the Design of Coverage of California’s Uninsured
An IHPS-led multi-disciplinary team provided technical assistance and analysis toward the design of workable measures to bring all Californians into health coverage. Supported by sequential grants from the California HealthCare Foundation, this project drew on our earlier work and on input from other experts.
In 2005-2006, we developed, analyzed and issued reports on a range of approaches with varying degrees of responsibility for individuals, employers and the state. We also provided extensive assistance to senior state health officials towards development of the Governor’s proposed coverage plan.
During 2007 and into January 2008, we provided intensive technical assistance and analysis to key health policy staff as the State Assembly and Senate further developed their own respective proposals, and as the legislative and executive branches sought to identify a workable and mutually acceptable coverage package.
A compromise (ABx1-1) between the Governor and the Speaker of the Assembly ultimately failed in the Senate due in large part to a state budget crisis and emerging economic uncertainties. Nevertheless, the shape of the final bill, which IHPS believes was workable, is instructive in many ways. See the “Related
Information” box for links to recent presentations and documents on the final bill.
In addition to Rick Curtis and Ed Neuschler of IHPS, the IHPS-led team for this project included Jon Gruber, Health Economics Professor at MIT (cost estimates of alternative proposals), Jim Mays and Cathy Callihan of the Actuarial Research Corporation (actuarial analysis); Pat Butler, J.D.
(legal analysis re: ERISA and related issues); Susan Marquis, Senior Economist (emeritus) at RAND (special analyses involving employer group risk and relative cost factors); and John Grgurina (expert consultation to the California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board and to legislative and executive branch staff to help assure constructs are workable).
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