Health Policy Center AuthorsPublications by Matthew Buettgens for Health Policy Center Back to Browse by Author
Toward Universal Coverage in Massachusetts (Article) Author(s): Linda J. Blumberg, John Holahan, Alan Weil, Lisa Clemans-Cope, Matthew Buettgens, Fredric Blavin, Stephen Zuckerman This paper presents several options designed to help the Commonwealth of Massachusetts move to universal health insurance coverage. The alternatives all build upon a common base that includes an expansion of the Medicaid program, income-related tax credits, a purchasing pool, and government-sponsored reinsurance. These measures in themselves would not yield universal coverage, nor would an employer mandate by itself. We show that an individual mandate, and an employer mandate combined with an individual mandate, both would yield universal coverage with a relatively small increase in government costs relative to state gross domestic product and current health spending.
Roadmap to Coverage (Research Report) Author(s): John Holahan, Linda J. Blumberg, Alan Weil, Lisa Clemans-Cope, Matthew Buettgens, Fredric Blavin, Stephen Zuckerman This report synthesizes all of the research and analytic work done on the Roadmap initiative, describes three policy approaches that would achieve universal health coverage in the Commonwealth, and describes the issues that would need to be addressed in order to implement the Roadmap options. The report describes each of the building blocks in turn, followed by the mandate alternatives. The cost and coverage estimates were produced using the Health Insurance Reform Simulation Model, developed by Urban Institute researchers. The report also discusses options for financing the coverage expansions, the likely benefits from universal coverage, and the broader economic impacts.
Building the Roadmap to Coverage: Policy Choices and the Cost and Coverage Implications (Research Report) Author(s): Linda J. Blumberg, John Holahan, Alan Weil, Lisa Clemans-Cope, Matthew Buettgens, Fredric Blavin, Stephen Zuckerman This report presents several options designed to help Massachusetts move to universal health insurance coverage. Each strategy is outlined in the form of a policy proposal and includes analysis of the effects on cost and coverage. The policies all build on an expansion of MassHealth, income-related tax credits, a purchasing pool and government-sponsored reinsurance. These measures in themselves do not yield universal coverage, nor would an employer mandate. The building blocks and an employer mandate combined with an individual mandate would yield universal coverage with a relatively small increase in government costs relative to state GDP and current health spending. (www.roadmaptocoverage.com, June 21, 2005)
The Health Insurance Reform Simulation Model (HIRSM) (Research Report) Author(s): Linda J. Blumberg, Yu-Chu Shen, Len Nichols, Matthew Buettgens, Lisa Dubay, Stacey McMorrow The Health Insurance Reform Simulation Model (HIRSM) is designed to simulate the coverage, cost, and tax implications of health insurance coverage expansion proposals and other reforms to the health insurance system. The model uses nationally representative data on employers, workers, and those outside of the labor market. HIRSM simulates the behavioral choices of insurers, employers, and individuals under the current system and under reform, allowing us to predict the coverage consequences of various policies. It can simulate the effects of reforms affecting private insurance markets and public programs. This report details the model in its entirety and presents prototypical results.
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