Implementation Challenges and Decisions

Massachusetts Health Reform: What it Does; How it Was Done; Challenges Ahead

Community Catalyst analysis of Massachusetts health reform, issued immediately after the Massachusetts legislature enacted the law. (April 2006)

The Third Wave of Massachusetts Health Care Reform

Health Affairs article by John McDonough, Brian Rosman, Fawn Phelps, and Melissa Shannon on the process leading to Massachusetts health reform and its major features (September 2006)

The Massachusetts Model: An Artful Balance

Health Affairs article by Nancy Turnbull on the challenges facing Massachusetts policymakers as implementation of the state's health reform law began. (September 2006)

Massachusetts Health Care Reform: A Look at the Issues

Health Affairs article by John Holahan and Linda Blumberg on major features of the health reform law, implementation issues, and its applicability elsewhere. (September 2006)

The Massachusetts Approach: A New Way to Restructure State Health Insurance Markets and Public Programs

Health Affairs article by Edmund F. Haislmaier and Nina Owcharenko on the state's groundbreaking public-private approach to health reform. (November 2006)

Implementing Health Care Reform In Massachusetts: Strategic Lessons Learned

John Kingsdale, executive director of the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority, discusses the importance of using a sequence of changes when implementing health reform. By sequencing events, government has the appropriate amount of time to implement changes and ensure smooth transitions to new programs. Kingsdale also discusses Massachusetts' decision to extend universal coverage before handling issue around cost containment and the current debate on how best to address issue of cost control (abstract only). (July 2009)

Setting a Standard of Affordability for Health Insurance Coverage in Massachusetts

BCBS of Massachusetts Foundation report by the Urban Institute on how to define “affordability” under the Massachusetts law's requirement for individuals to maintain coverage if an affordable option is available. (August 2006)