State Info: News Across the States

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More Resources  Health Care Is Top Issue in '08 Elections NPR's "Morning Edition" covers the health reform debate. State of the States Stateline.org covers the governors' State of the State addresses.  To find contacts and information specific to your state, use the drop-down box below. Select another StateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

 

Expanding Access  

Massachusetts

• More Than 96 Percent of Massachusetts Residents Had Health Insurance in 2008 (Boston Globe, December 10, 2009)
• State Seeks Better Student Health Care (Boston Globe, December 3, 2009)

North Carolina

• The State’s High-Risk Pool Opens Enrollment (News Observer, December 8, 2009)

Public Coverage Programs

Expansions   

Maryland

• Advocates Claim Success for Medicaid Outreach (Baltimore Sun, October 27, 2009)

Cuts

Due to the current economic downturn, the Medicaid and CHIP programs in many states are in jeopardy. These cuts include actions that will erect barriers to obtaining care for current enrollees, as well as actions that will make it harder for uninsured people to get Medicaid or CHIP coverage.  

Minnesota

• Cuts Leave Residents without Coverage (The Daily Journal, November 11, 2009)

New Mexico

• NM Limiting Insurance Program for Low-Income (Associated Press, October 2, 2009)

Tennessee

• Tennessee Alone in Capping Child Enrollees (Memphis Daily News, December 8, 2009)  
• CoverKids Halts New Enrollment (Fox Memphis, October 16, 2009)

Washington

• Basic Health Plan to See Premium Increases and Reduced Enrollment (Seattle P-I, November 17, 2009)

Wisconsin

• Waiting List for BadgerCare Plus Core Grows (Journal Sentinel, November 17, 2009)
• BadgerCare Plus Tops Out, Enrollment Suspended (The Business Journal of Milwaukee, October 5, 2009)   

Private Market

California

• Blue Shield of California Gets Tough over Late Payments (The Los Angeles Times, December 16, 2009)
• Superior Court Throws Out Insurance Company Lawsuit Against Commissioner Poizner (California Department of Insurance, November 6, 2009)
• Blue Shield is Ousted from California’s High-Risk Health Insurance Pool (Los Angeles Time, October 15, 2009)
• Mixed Reviews for Governor on Health Care Bills (San Francisco Gate, October 13, 2009)

Colorado

• Searching and Failing to Find Maternity Coverage in Colorado (Colorado Independent, December 2, 2009)           

Illinois

• Health Insurance Bill Awaits Governor’s Signature (CBS2 Chicago , October 31, 2009)

Maine

• Insurer Appeals State’s Ruling on Policy Rates (Bangor Daily News, October 16, 2009)

Massachusetts

• Insurance Commission to Conduct Formal Hearings of Health Insurance Premium Increases (Boston Herald, November 15, 2009)
• Report Blasts Student Health Plans (Boston Globe, November 6, 2009)
• Patrick to Try to Aid Small Business (Boston Globe, October 20, 2009) 

New York

• South Florida Man’s Fight against Health Insurer Inspires N.Y. Bill (The Miami Herald, November 9, 2009)

Pennsylvania

• Attorney General Announces $500,000 Settlement with HealthAmerica (The Sentinal, December 11, 2009)
• Adult Children Can Now Be Covered on Their Parents’ Insurance up to Age 30 (Press Release, Pennsylvania Insurance Department, December 7, 2009)

Texas

• Texas Advocate Seeks Ban on Insurers' Blanket Clauses (Dallas News, December 17, 2009)

Washington

• Washington Domestic Partner Law Goes Into Effect (Insurance Journal, December 3, 2009)

Wisconsin

• Individual Insurance Policy Rules Changing in Wisconsin (American Medical News, November 6, 2009)
• Wisconsin Extends Young Adult Health Care through Parents to Age 27 (IFAwebnews, November 5, 2009)  

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