MassHealth Succeeds in Expanding Coverage for Adults

This study provides the first rigorous evaluation of the impacts of MassHealth, Massachusetts' ambitious effort in the late 1990s to expand coverage to the entire low-income population. We find clear evidence that MassHealth led to an expansion of insurance coverage relative to what was happeni...

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Main Authors: Sharon K. Long, Stephen Zuckerman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2004-09-01
Series:Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/004695800404100304
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spelling doaj-8864190b3b61499f9de9b82c2a49f4692020-11-25T02:52:30ZengSAGE PublishingInquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing0046-95801945-72432004-09-014110.1177/00469580040410030410.1177_004695800404100304MassHealth Succeeds in Expanding Coverage for AdultsSharon K. Long0Stephen Zuckerman1Health Policy Center of the Urban Institute.Health Policy Center of the Urban Institute.This study provides the first rigorous evaluation of the impacts of MassHealth, Massachusetts' ambitious effort in the late 1990s to expand coverage to the entire low-income population. We find clear evidence that MassHealth led to an expansion of insurance coverage relative to what was happening to similar populations in comparison states. The success of MassHealth provides support for the value of investing in ambitious new state efforts to find effective strategies to reach the remaining uninsured populations. While current budget shortfalls have forced many states, including Massachusetts, to scale back their expansion efforts, the current economic downturn is not permanent. Understanding the impacts of the expansion efforts in Massachusetts adds to the base of knowledge that will be critical for guiding states when the economy recovers and the resources needed for expansion again become available.https://doi.org/10.1177/004695800404100304
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Sharon K. Long
Stephen Zuckerman
spellingShingle Sharon K. Long
Stephen Zuckerman
MassHealth Succeeds in Expanding Coverage for Adults
Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing
author_facet Sharon K. Long
Stephen Zuckerman
author_sort Sharon K. Long
title MassHealth Succeeds in Expanding Coverage for Adults
title_short MassHealth Succeeds in Expanding Coverage for Adults
title_full MassHealth Succeeds in Expanding Coverage for Adults
title_fullStr MassHealth Succeeds in Expanding Coverage for Adults
title_full_unstemmed MassHealth Succeeds in Expanding Coverage for Adults
title_sort masshealth succeeds in expanding coverage for adults
publisher SAGE Publishing
series Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing
issn 0046-9580
1945-7243
publishDate 2004-09-01
description This study provides the first rigorous evaluation of the impacts of MassHealth, Massachusetts' ambitious effort in the late 1990s to expand coverage to the entire low-income population. We find clear evidence that MassHealth led to an expansion of insurance coverage relative to what was happening to similar populations in comparison states. The success of MassHealth provides support for the value of investing in ambitious new state efforts to find effective strategies to reach the remaining uninsured populations. While current budget shortfalls have forced many states, including Massachusetts, to scale back their expansion efforts, the current economic downturn is not permanent. Understanding the impacts of the expansion efforts in Massachusetts adds to the base of knowledge that will be critical for guiding states when the economy recovers and the resources needed for expansion again become available.
url https://doi.org/10.1177/004695800404100304
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