Publications by Sara Hogan for Health Policy Center

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More about Sara Hogan's areas of expertise can be found on this Urban Institute expert's page.

Less than two years after Massachusetts' 2006 reform law was implemented, 2.6 percent of residents were uninsured-the lowest proportion ever recorded in an American state. The state's individual mandate alone does not explain this result, since it is not enforced against adults with incomes at or below 150 percent FPL or children. During a multi-day site visit, researchers identified several factors contributing to Massachusetts' high enrollment, including an intensive marketing campaign; use of data to establish subsidy eligibility for newly-insured residents; an integrated eligibility system serving multiple subsidy programs with a single application; and healthcare provider/community-based organization-driven application assistance.

This Urban Institute study, with partner the National Academy for State Health Policy, presents findings from a 50-state analysis of Medicaid outreach and enrollment strategies targeting pregnant women. The study finds significant variation across states, but observes that the majority have policies to facilitate pregnant women's access to coverage through simplified enrollment; however, there is considerable room for improvement in outreach efforts and enhanced prenatal care. The paper presents policy recommendations for state officials to facilitate enrollment of pregnant women, raise public awareness of available coverage, and broaden the scope of prenatal care. The March of Dimes funded this study.

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