State Strategies Used to Expand Health Insurance Coverage Across the U.S.
States have employed a variety of strategies to address their uninsured populations. In an effort to expand access to coverage, many states have sought waivers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand their Medicaid and/or SCHIP programs to populations that typically are not eligible to receive benefits. States have also focused on strategies designed to lower the effective price of coverage, either by making reduced-price coverage available or by providing subsidies or incentives for the purchase of private insurance. Other strategies that states have used include reinsurance, high-risk pools, broadening requirements for dependent coverage, and group purchasing arrangements.
