Who Gained the Most Under Health Reform in Massachusetts?

Outlines key components of the state's 2007 insurance coverage reform and the populations targeted. Compares the reform's impact across population groups, by age, gender, race/ethnicity, health status, employment, and geography

What Is the Evidence on Health Reform in Massachusetts and How Might the Lessons From Massachusetts Apply to National Health Reform?

Examines the gains in health coverage, healthcare access, use, affordability, and quality Massachusetts has seen as a result of health reform, as well as the challenges in sustaining reform as provider capacity remains limited and healthcare costs rise

The Impact of Health Reform on Underinsurance in Massachusetts: Do the Insured Have Adequate Protection?

Compares the state's uninsurance rate following the 2007 reform to 2006 and national rates, by income. Examines reported problems with paying medical bills to assess the extent to which the "minimum creditable coverage" rule protects against high costs

On the Road to Universal Coverage: Impacts of Reform in Massachusetts at One Year

Examines the early results of the state's efforts to achieve near-universal coverage through a combination of Medicaid expansions, subsidized private insurance, insurance market reforms, and required participation by individuals and employers

Why Do People Lack Health Insurance?

Currently, 46 million people or nearly one in five nonelderly adults and children lack health insurance in the United States, an increase of 6 million since 2000. The recent rise in uninsurance has been attributed to a number of factors, including rising health care costs, the economic downturn, an erosion of employer-based insurance, and public program cutbacks. Developing effective strategies for reducing uninsurance requires understanding why people lack insurance coverage. This brief looks at the reasons people report being uninsured overall and by key population subgroups (defined by age, race/ethnicity, health status, and family and employment characteristics). We also examine how those reasons have changed over time

Health Reform in Massachusetts: An Update on Insurance Coverage and Support for Reform as of Fall 2008

Provides an update on the impact of the state's 2006 health reform on the coverage of 16- to 64-year olds and on support for health reform. Analyzes demographic characteristics, education, work status, and geographic location of the insured and uninsured

Access to and Affordability of Care in Massachusetts as of Fall 2008: Geographic and Racial/Ethnic Differences

Based on a fall 2008 survey, compares access to and affordability of health care, including prescription drugs and dental care, for adults by geography and race/ethnicity. Explores factors behind unmet needs and financial burdens from healthcare costs

Massachusetts Health Reform in 2008: Who Are the Remaining Uninsured Adults?

Profiles residents still uninsured after the individual mandate was implemented: young, single, urban, male racial/ethnic minorities and non-citizens with limited English proficiency. Outlines lessons on outreach to those eligible for public coverage

Health Reform in Massachusetts as of Fall 2010: Getting Ready for the Affordable Care Act & Addressing Affordability

Provides updated survey findings about trends since fall 2006 in the insurance coverage, healthcare access and use, costs and affordability, financial difficulties, and attitudes toward state healthcare reform among non-elderly adults in Massachusetts

Mapping the childhood obesity epidemic: a geographic profile of the predicted risk for childhood obesity in communities across the United States

"This study explores the link between community risk factors and childhood obesity using data on child obesity from the 1988-1994 National Health and Examination Survey, the 2002-2004 National Medical Expenditures Survey, and the 2003-2004 National Survey of Children's Health, combined with data on community characteristics from a wide variety of sources. Multivariate models that relate child obesity to the characteristics of the child's community are used to predict the "risk of childhood obesity" for communities in the United States. The report includes maps and community profiles for 50 states and the District of Columbia."Sharon K. Long, Leah Hendey, Kathy Pettit."December 20, 2007."Funding for this study was provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The research in this report that is based on the MEPS was conducted at the CFACT Data Center, and the support of AHRQ (and, especially, Ray Kuntz) is acknowledged. The research in this report that is based on the NCHS and the NHANES was conducted at the NCHS Research Data Center, and the support of NCHS (and, especially, Robert Krasowski) is acknowledged. The results and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not indicated concurrence by AHRQ, NCHS, or the Department of Health and Human Services.Also abvailable via the World Wide Web as an Acrobat .pdf file (23.66 MB, 136 p.)Includes bibliographical references