Public Policy

Marianne Udow-Phillips and Thomas Simmer at Congressional briefing

CHRT director Marianne Udow-Phillips and board chair Thomas Simmer appear at a recent Congressional briefing

CHRT’s work and funded projects are chosen based on their relevance to critical public policy issues.

More specifically, CHRT’s goals are to:

  • Make new contributions to the body of knowledge, literature and practice about what works — pragmatically and scalable in a real world setting — to reduce costs and improve the quality of medical care, population health, and access to care.
  • Interpret and make relevant current conditions, trends and opportunities to affect health care access, cost, and quality in the state of Michigan — within a framework that can add value nationally.

CHRT's contributions are made principally through communication of findings from:

  • Research and demonstration projects that test new ideas to systemically improve quality and cost effectiveness of care in various health care delivery settings and communities;
  • Evaluation of policy decisions and opportunities related to health care access and/or population health;
  • Data obtained from either primary or secondary sources to illuminate trends and underlying issues critical to informed decision-making about strategies to improve the medical care system and public health.

CHRT communicates these findings through:

  • Its own publications and website.
  • Articles and publications produced by researchers resulting from projects we fund.
  • Symposia and other events.
  • Participation in state and national public policy efforts related to medical care and public health.
  • Public presentations and other formal and informal networks.

Policy Briefs

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October 17, 2011

The Affordable Care Act and Its Effect on Midsize and Large Employers

CHRT Policy Brief October 2011

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The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes a number of provisions designed to increase the number of individuals with health insurance coverage. This policy brief focuses on midsize and large employers, to help illuminate provisions in the ACA most likely to affect them and suggest issues or questions for consideration as ACA implementation progresses.

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April 28, 2011

Guide to State Requirements and Policy Choices in the Affordable Care Act

CHRT Policy Brief April 2011

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The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) requires the establishment of significant new state-level structures by the year 2014. This policy brief summarizes major requirements and policy choices for states between now and 2014, and describes other components of the ACA that do not involve state implementation but have state budgetary impacts.

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May 24, 2010

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act at the State and Local Level

CHRT Policy Brief June 2010

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While health care reform has its foundation and framework at the federal level, many key elements will be carried out at the state and local level. Rather than addressing changes that apply to private sector health insurance, this policy brief summarizes some of the most salient state requirements and state and local opportunities with regard to coverage and health care delivery.

Policy Papers

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December 16, 2011

ACA Coverage Flowchart

The Path to Health Care Coverage Under the Affordable Care Act in 2014

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Updated! Even as the U.S. Supreme Court considers constitutional challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), efforts continue at the state and federal levels to prepare for implementation of key provisions of the Act scheduled to take effect in 2014. This flow chart provides a high-level picture of the ways that people will obtain health coverage in 2014, assuming the Act is implemented as it exists today, reflecting the complexity of the public/private hybrid of U.S. healthcare coverage retained by the Act.

Cover of CHRT's Policy Paper on Advance Directive Registries: A Policy Opportunity

August 31, 2011

Advance Directive Registries: A Policy Opportunity

CHRT Policy Paper

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The most critical health care decisions facing patients and families are often made under the most difficult of circumstances—in emergencies, or when patients are not able to speak for themselves. Advance directives offer a solution but in order for them to be effective, health care providers need to know they exist and have ready access to them. One way to accomplish this is through statewide electronic registries of advance directives.This paper discusses advance directives available under Michigan law, models for state and regional advance directive registries, and approaches for encouraging their use.

Cover of CHRT's Policy Paper on E-Prescribing: Barriers and Opportunities

August 24, 2011

E-Prescribing: Barriers and Opportunities

CHRT Policy Paper

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Electronic prescribing (also known as e-prescribing) is a system that enables providers in health care settings—e.g. doctors’ offices, hospitals, and long-term care facilities—to electronically write and store prescription information and send it directly to pharmacies. Advanced features of some e-prescribing systems have the potential to enhance physicians’ decision-making capabilities and increase their use of e-prescribing. Although the use of e-prescribing is increasing, providers continue to encounter significant barriers to the implementation and effective use of e-prescribing systems. It is important to understand these challenges in order to ensure the widespread adoption and effective use of e-prescribing.

Cover of CHRT's Policy Paper on Medicaid Enrollment and Eligibility Practice Opportunities

June 28, 2011

Medicaid Enrollment and Eligibility Practice Opportunities

CHRT Policy Paper

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We can be certain that Medicaid eligibility will expand greatly in 2014, but actual Medicaid enrollment numbers will depend on the outreach and enrollment processes used by individual states. Michigan can learn from states that have successfully expanded eligibility in public insurance programs as it develops a comprehensive strategy for reaching and enrolling those who are currently eligible and the newly eligible population in 2014. This paper examines the structure of the Medicaid program today, describes enrollment and outreach strategies used by other states, and identifies opportunities to increase Medicaid enrollment in Michigan.