State options for expanding health insurance coverage and strengthening the health care safety net

"The purpose of the [State Planning] grant was to measure the number of uninsured in the state, identify the characteristics of those without insurance coverage, and develop coverage options to reduce the number of uninsured and strengthen the health care safety net. ... This report (1) describes the nature of the problem, including the number of uninsured and underinsured, the groups that are most at risk of being uninsured, and the impact of insurance coverage on both individuals and providers; (2) discusses the process of developing the coverage options; (3) provides a description of the coverage options including rationale, the advantages and disadvantages, the target populations, and the potential cost considerations; and (4) identifies the next steps in the process"--P. 1.