State and National Health Reform | Welcome to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Independent, nonpartisan research and analysis about the impact of state and national health reform on Massachusetts.

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Massachusetts health reform:

The Health Reform Toolkit Series is designed to share lessons learned from Massachusetts’ implementation of health reform to help states plan, build, and implement elements of the ACA.

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Reports

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Implementing the Affordable Care Act in Massachusetts: Changes in Subsidized Coverage Programs

August 20, 2015

This issue brief, prepared by Health Management Associates, focuses on the changes to subsidized insurance in Massachusetts resulting from passage of the ACA.
Coverage Options for Massachusetts: Leveraging the Affordable Care Act

May 21, 2015

This issue brief outlines options available to the state through sections 1331 (BHP) and 1332 (State Innovation Waiver) of the ACA.
Affordable Care Act Tracking Tool

February 28, 2013

Chart of state decisions related to implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
Reconciling the Massachusetts and Federal Individual Mandates for Health Insurance: A Comparison of Policy Options

December 4, 2012

This report, written by staff from the Urban Institute, examines the policy options for Massachusetts with regard to its individual mandate as the ACA is implemented.
Massachusetts Under the Affordable Care Act: Employer-Related Issues and Policy Options

July 19, 2012

Four policy options for assessing employers who do not provide affordable health insurance coverage to their workers.
The ACA's Impact on Medicaid: Changes and Opportunities for MassHealth

July 27, 2011

An in-depth discussion of the provisions from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which impact Medicaid programs and how these provisions may be applied in Massachusetts.
Lessons from the Implementation of Massachusetts Health Reform

March 17, 2011

An overview of key lessons from Massachusetts that could be relevant to stakeholders working to implement health reform in other states and nationally.
Re-Forming Reform: What the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Means for Massachusetts

June 21, 2010

A comprehensive assessment of how the national reform law intersects with the Commonwealth's own health reforms.

Chart Packs

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Overview of the Senate Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017

June 27, 2017

This chart pack provides an overview of the Senate-proposed Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017.
Modeling the Impacts of the American Health Care Act on Massachusetts

May 23, 2017

This state-level analysis models the impact of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) on Massachusetts focused on 2022, when the law would be fully phased in.
Proposals to Cap State Medicaid Funding: Massachusetts Considerations

March 10, 2017

This chart pack provides an overview of proposals to cap federal Medicaid funding and the considerations for Massachusetts.
UPDATED: Health Reform in Massachusetts: Assessing the Results

March 26, 2014

Chartpack summarizing the impact of the state’s 2006 health reform law. Data collected from state agency reports, national reports, and state surveys on access and coverage.

Interactive Resources

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Affordable Care Act Tracking Tool

February 28, 2013

Chart of state decisions related to implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
The Interactive Guide to Chapter 288

March 7, 2012

An online, interactive guide to Massachusetts' 2010 health care cost containment law.
An Annotated Guide to Chapter 58

November 22, 2010

This resource outlines the legislative structures of Massachusetts health reform and associated regulations in an easy to understand format.