State Health Care Reform

While Congress fails to act nationally, states are considering various ways to reform their health care systems. Any state health care reform should be measured against key principles that will affect who gets coverage, what coverage will be available and whether it is affordable. Financing must be a shared responsibility that balances the roles of employers, individuals and the government—not something workers must face alone.

• Checklist for State Health Care Reform (PDF).
• State Health Care Reform Proposals (PDF).
• State Health Care Reform Legislation (PDF).
• The American Prospect: States Lead the Way on Health Care Reform.
  

Health Care Disclosure Bills

Many employees at companies such as Wal-Mart are paid so little they qualify for government assistance. In many cases, taxpayers, rather than employers, are picking up the cost of employees’ health care coverage. Health care disclosure bills enable states to identify which employers are shifting their health care responsibilities to state taxpayers. In 2007, 10 states considered versions of the Health Care Disclosure Act—Arizona, California, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Texas.

Health Care Disclosure bills passed in the California Assembly, the Indiana House and the Rhode Island House and Senate in 2007. Hawaii, Illinois and Massachusetts enacted the bill into law in 2006.

• See How Much Wal-Mart Is Costing States in Worker Health Care Costs (PDF).
• See How Wal-Mart Shifts Health Care Costs to Taxpayers (PDF).

For more information, please e-mail stateaction@aflcio.org.