State Coverage Initiatives

Marketing State Insurance Coverage Programs: Experiences from Four States,
November 2007

This issue brief, prepared by the Center on behalf AcademyHealth for the Robert Wood Johnson State Coverage Initiatives program, examines marketing and enrollment strategies in four states that have implemented coverage initiatives and attempts to draw some conclusions on "best practices." Building on the more in-depth assessment of insurance coverage programs that the Center completed in March 2007, the Center conducted interviews with state officials and health insurance agents and brokers from Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma to elicit information about the relative success of various marketing strategies. Four conclusions were drawn from the study: 1) Marketing and public awareness requires a multi-faceted approach; 2) The application and enrollment process requires support and multiple entry points; 3) Plan design encourages, but does not assure, enrollment; and 4) Agents and brokers should be involved in the program.

Efforts to Expand Coverage to the Uninsured: Program Design Challenges and Tradeoffs in Six States, March 1, 2007

This study, conducted for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), examined the practical experiences of a group of six states-Arizona, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, and Utah-that have implemented affordable private and public coverage insurance products for low-income workers. The analysis documented the design elements that are important for establishing a workable program.