Helping grantmakers improve the health of all people
Health Reform
On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama made history when he signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, changing health care in the United States as we know it. The new law will provide access to health care for millions of uninsured Americans and will bring major changes to the delivery system.
What's New
New On-line Tools from Endowment for Health
August 2010
The Endowment for Health has developed two new on-line tools to provide reliable information on health reform. EH Pilot is a gateway of health reform resources to help individuals and families navigate through the issues of health reform and make sense of them on a personal level. EH InSight is a blog that offers nonpartisan viewpoints on health system reform and its implementation in New Hampshire.Updated Issue Brief on Health Reform and Communities of Color
The Foundation has updated an issue brief that examines a number of key provisions in the new health reform law that could either directly or indirectly have an impact on reducing health disparities affecting racial and ethnic minorities. Racial and ethnic minorities represent only one-third of the total U.S. population, but they comprise more than 50 percent of the nation's uninsured. The updated issue brief looks at some of the key provisions that are likely to have a significant impact on people of color and also highlights the specific provisions that focus on health disparities. These provisions include efforts to expand access to health coverage through Medicaid expansions and health exchanges, as well as workforce development, expansions of community health centers and several specific disparities provisions. The issue brief is available online.NYSHealth Releases Report on Implementing Federal Health Reform in New York
August 2010
Federal health reform could expand health care coverage for an estimated 1.2 million people in New York State who are currently uninsured, according to a new NYSHealth-funded report. The report, entitled "Implementing Federal Health Care Reform: A Roadmap for New York State" and prepared by Manatt Health Solutions and NYSHealth, reviews and analyzes the key provisions of the Federal reform law, known as the Affordable Care Act. It projects the unique implications that each provision of the law holds for New York, and identifies the tasks and hurdles that State government and other stakeholders must confront when implementing reform. The report finds that health care reform will require an overhaul of the State's existing regulatory and delivery infrastructure. Some of New York's existing regulations will have to be repealed; new health and insurance guidelines will have to be drawn up and issued; and significant new infrastructure and administrative systems will have to be created.Audioconferences
Implementing Health Care Reform: Responding to the Challenge [ September 8, 2010 2:00 PM ]
With provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act set to take effect over the next four years, grantmakers and their grantees have been developing activities to address the early stages of health care reform implementation. To support philanthropy's response to this sweeping and unprecedented legislation, GIH has released Implementing Health Care Reform: Funders and Advocates Respond to the Challenge, a report based on over 40 interviews with national and state grantmakers and advocacy organizations about their initial work around implementation. Join this one-hour audioconference to hear the report's key findings and recommendations, and to learn about the current activities, future plans, thorniest challenges, and strategic advice of your grantmaking peers.Health Reform Messages for the Small Business Community [ July 13, 2010 4:00 PM ]
In the coming weeks, Grantmakers In Health will be scheduling small group conference calls for funders who are interested in talking to each other about specific issues related to health reform. The first of these calls will take place tomorrow, on the topic of developing, coordinating, and disseminating messages on health reform for the small business community. The discussion will be led by Kate Gervais of the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut.Health Reform: Messaging and Public Education [ July 8, 2010 12:00 PM ]
This GIH audioconference will explore public education and messaging efforts at the state and national levels. Susan Sherry of Community Catalyst will provide an overview of current efforts, as well as discuss the challenges inherent in developing, coordinating, and disseminating messages for the public. Janet Davenport from Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut will share her foundation’s strategies to develop messages around health reform for various communities within the state.Implementing Health Reform's Prevention and Public Health Fund [ June 29, 2010 1:00 PM ]
This webinar will provide an overview of the Fund and discuss key implementation issues such as how funds may be allocated, types of programs and activities that may receive support, and evaluation plans.Health Reform Implementation: Ensuring Health Coverage for Low-Income Americans [ June 8, 2010 1:00 PM ]
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act significantly expands access to Medicaid and provides premium and cost-sharing subsidies for lower-income Americans to obtain coverage through health insurance exchanges. Ensuring successful implementation of these provisions is critical and will require collaboration across sectors and among multiple stakeholders within and outside the health care system. Among the various efforts being undertaken to ensure that those eligible for coverage are enrolled is Enroll America, a new nonprofit organization under development by Families USA. Questions about this project have come up on several recent GIH audioconferences. California HealthCare Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provided support for the development of a business plan for Enroll America.
Sam Karp and Andy Hyman will open the audioconference by discussing the foundations’ interest in providing this initial support to the project. Ron Pollack will describe the structure and expectations for this new organization and will answer any questions from those participating on the call. There also will be time for a funders-only discussion after Mr. Pollack’s presentation.
Health Care Reform: What's in the Law and What's Philanthropy's Role as it is Implemented? [ April 13, 2010 2:00 PM ]
GIH Access to Care Audioconference Series
Now that health care reform has been signed into law, funders are eagerly trying to understand what’s in the law and its implications for their communities, their grantees, their states, and their own work. Len Nichols will explain the key provisions of the new law, the immediate and longer-term challenges in its implementation, and the pivotal roles foundations can play in educating the public, continued advocacy, and supporting state implementation efforts.Kids' Access Funders Network: Health Reform [ March 29, 2010 2:30 PM ]
On this call of the Kids' Access Funders Network, Jocelyn Guyer of the Georgetown Center for Children and Families updated funders on the provisions of the health reform law that will have the most impact on children and families, Ed Walz of Spitfire Strategies discussed post-reform messages that funders and their grantees might use.GIH Publications of Interest
Implementing Health Care Reform: Funders and Advocates Respond to the Challenge
With provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act set to take effect over the next four years, grantmakers and advocacy groups have been developing activities to address the early stages of health care reform implementation. This report is based on over 40 interviews with national and state grantmakers and advocacy organizations about their initial work around implementation.Where Do We Go From Here? Combating Health Care Disparities in an Era of Reform
There is growing interest in improving the health of racial and ethnic communities of color by going beyond the health care setting to the root causes of poor health and inequality. In the current era of national health care reform, new opportunities may become available to further combat racial and ethnic disparities in health care.Featured Publications
Implementing Health Care Reform: Funders and Advocates Respond to the Challenge
With provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act set to take effect over the next four years, grantmakers and advocacy groups have been developing activities to address the early stages of health care reform implementation. This report is based on over 40 interviews with national and state grantmakers and advocacy organizations about their initial work around implementation.
Executive Summary
Full Report
Spotlight on Health Reform
Health Care Reform Implementation Timelines
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, along with The George Washington University, has launched the new Web site "Health Reform GPS" that serves as a high-level guide to the health reform implementation process. It provides a glimpse into the role and activities of the federal agencies responsible for spearheading implementation and to attract commentary on the endless array of policy questions that will inevitably arise along the way. Visit their Health Reform section for other helpful resources.To help navigate through the comprehensive health care reform legislation signed into law, which includes numerous provisions that go into effect immediately or will be implemented over the next decade, The Commonwealth Fund created implementation timelines on health insurance provisions, system and delivery reform provisions, and revenue provisions. Also visit the fund's Health Reform Resources section on their Web site.
Additionally, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation has prepared the Implementation Timeline for Health Reform Law, detailing when specific provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the House-passed Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act are scheduled to take effect. It includes more than a dozen key provisions that will take effect this year and when major reforms to expand access are fully implemented. Visit their Health Reform section for other helpful resources.