Grant Rewards Insights Into State Healthcare Reform Implementation

The Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) and the National Academy for State Healthy Policy (NASHP) are launching a grant program to fund studies that will analyze how the states are implementing health reform.

According to the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF), which is funding the program with a $1.5 million grant, the states will play a crucial role in the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and health reform. LJAF has committed more than $25 million to organizations working to improve value in the US healthcare system.

“As policymakers and healthcare leaders decide how to regulate and finance large-scale healthcare and health insurance models, they will need sound research to help them make the best decisions for their states,” Kelli Rhee, director of Venture Development at LJAF, said in a statement. “This grant program will make a significant contribution to health policy and practice.”

In an effort to identity effective ways to improve healthcare quality while lowering costs, the grant funding will support 5 projects that will shed light on state-based initiative outcomes. HCCI and NASHP will convene a committee of health policy experts to award grants for the program.

According to David Newman, HCCI executive director, this grant program will fill the void left from a lack of information on efforts to implement healthcare reform in the states. He added that the program will prioritize data-centered research to inform policymakers and consumers alike.

“Many reforms, even beyond those enacted by the ACA, are currently underway throughout the United States,” said Catherine Hess, managing director at NASHP. “Understanding the ways in which states are trying to transform their healthcare systems, as well as the short- and long-term consequences of these efforts, is key for state policymakers. This initiative will make an important contribution to building a knowledge base about these state reforms.”