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-----Original Message----- From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Subject: Planning for Improvements in Health Coverage and Quality of Care Dear Colleague: During the last decade, a strong economy allowed states to expand health coverage to more of their residents and improve the quality of care provided in public programs. While the states' current fiscal crises most likely preclude any major efforts for the time being, three new Commonwealth Fund reports by Sharon Silow-Carroll and colleagues at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) describe a range of models for expanding insurance coverage and improving care that states might want to consider once their economic and fiscal outlook brightens. * Expanding Health Insurance Coverage: Creative State Solutions for Challenging Times. The authors draw lessons from 10 states that have made substantial progress in expanding coverage, as well as 20 states that have received federal HRSA grants to prepare for future expansion efforts. Common to many of the "creative solutions" is an emphasis on collecting state-specific data on uninsured populations, building public/private partnerships, and creating a common enrollment process for all state coverage programs. http://www.cmwf.org/publist/publist2.asp?CategoryID=4 * Building Quality into RIte Care: How Rhode Island Is Improving Health Care for Its Low-Income Populations. This in-depth case study spotlights the different tack taken by Rhode Island, which has been able to lower overall health costs by improving the quality of care in its public insurance programs. The state extended family planning and primary care benefits to Medicaid women for two years after they give birth, a move that has resulted in a reduction in short birth intervals--which have been linked to low birth weight and premature births--as well as a substantial reduction in costs. http://www.cmwf.org/publist/publist2.asp?CategoryID=4 * Assessing State Strategies for Health Coverage Expansion: Profiles of Arkansas, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Utah, and Vermont. This Web-only publication examines in detail six state initiatives from around the country undertaken to maximize health insurance coverage. http://www.cmwf.org/publist/publist2.asp?CategoryID=4 Additional ESRI studies of states' coverage expansion efforts are also available through The Commonwealth Fund's website, www.cmwf.org. They include: #587 Assessing State Strategies for Health Coverage Expansion: Summary of Case Studies of Oregon, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Georgia (Nov. 2002) #577 Toward Comprehensive Health Coverage for All: Summaries of 20 State Planning Grants from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (Nov. 2002) #565 Assessing State Strategies for Health Coverage Expansion: Case Studies of Oregon, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Georgia (Nov. 2002). Visit the Fund's website (http://www.cmwf.org/) to read, download, or order reports from The Commonwealth Fund. You can also order reports by calling toll-free 1-888-777-2744 or by sending an e-mail to [log in to unmask]