Health Care Reform
Although market-based approaches to health care reform might be more feasible politically, strategies that expand state governments' role in health care have been successful at expanding health care coverage, according to a study reported in the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law.
Researchers found that the most effective health insurance programs in the 1990s were programs primarily funded by federal dollars, such as Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Moreover, the authors cite previous research indicating that federal efforts to expand coverage through market-based strategies have not reduced the number of uninsured people.
The study concludes that although the percentage of uninsured U.S. residents appears somewhat stable, state efforts to scale back Medicaid programs could undermine previous gains at expanding coverage (Barrilleaux/Brace, Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, August 2007).