Briefing Detail Page
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 What's Next? Reporting on Health Reform Between Now and 2014
Thursday, June 10, 2010
For reporters covering health reform, the subject can now seem more complicated than ever. Implementation timelines go on for page after page. Many questions appear to have no answers, at least not yet.
Seems like a good time to take a breath and plot out how to cover health reform for the rest of this year, and the time leading up to 2014. Who are the key players within HHS who’ll be drawing up the regs? How can you stay on top of the various implementation deadlines? How do you tie local issues to national decision-making on reform? What’s the likely role of the states in implementation, and how can coverage be coordinated between the Washington bureaus and the beat reporters back home? What are some possibilities for freelancers in covering reform? How does the role of bloggers differ from that of others covering this topic?
To address these questions and more, the Alliance for Health Reform, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Association of Health Care Journalists sponsored a June 10 briefing. Panelists were: Phil Galewitz of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of the New America Foundation’s New Health Dialogue Blog, Noam Levey of the Los Angeles Times and Julie Rovner of National Public Radio. Ed Howard of the Alliance moderated.
| Speakers |
Ed Howard, Alliance for Health Reform, Moderator
Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News, Speaker
Joanne Kenen, New Health Dialogue Blog, Speaker
Noam Levey, Los Angeles Times, Speaker
Julie Rovner , National Public Radio, Speaker
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| Transcript, Event Summary and/or Webcast and Podcast |
Transcript: Reporting on Health Reform Between Now and 2014 (Adobe Acrobat PDF), 6/10/2010
Event Summary: Reporting on Health Reform Between Now and 2014 (Adobe Acrobat PDF), 6/10/2010
Full Webcast/Podcast: Reporting on Health Reform Between Now and 2014
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| The full webcast and podcast for this briefing, as well as videos of individual speakers' presentations, are provided by Kaiser Family Foundation.
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| Source Materials |
Agenda (Adobe Acrobat PDF), Alliance For Health Reform, 6/10/2010
Speaker Bios (Adobe Acrobat PDF), Alliance For Health Reform, 6/10/2010
Resource List -- Reporting on Health Reform Between Now and 2014 (Adobe Acrobat PDF), Alliance For Health Reform, 6/10/2010
- A list of resources for journalists covering reform, with links, compiled for the June 10, 2010 briefing "What's Next? Reporting on Health Reform Between Now and 2014"
Chapter One: Health Reform, from the Alliance sourcebook for reporters, Covering Health Issues (Adobe Acrobat PDF), Joanne Kenen for the Alliance for Health Reform, 6/7/2010
- This first chapter of the Alliance’s sourcebook for reporters has been completely revised to reflect the provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) and the companion Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Contains key facts about the reform law, background, tips for reporters, story ideas, experts with contact information, and helpful websites.
Covering Health Issues, 5th Edition—Appendix C: Covering Health Issues for News and Radio (Adobe Acrobat PDF), Deborah Potter for the Alliance For Health Reform, 6/7/2010
- This short appendix from the Alliance’s sourcebook is geared specifically towards TV and radio reporters. The appendix gives suggestions on how to make health stories more visual, accessible and engaging for the consumer, and provides examples of effective health reporting.
The Future of Children's Health Coverage (Adobe Acrobat PDF), Alliance for Health Reform, 6/8/2010
- This four-page issue brief details the children's coverage expansions in the new health reform law and also the law's potential to strain existing coverage programs for children. By Lisa Swirsky of the Alliance.
Reporting on Health Reform Between Now and 2014 (Adobe Acrobat PDF), Alliance for Health Reform, 6/10/2010
- A summary of the story ideas and tips offered to reporters at the June 10 briefing on covering health reform implementation.
Toolkit -- Covering Health Reform Between Now and 2014 (Adobe Acrobat PDF), Alliance for Health Reform, 6/17/2010
- Now that health reform is law, reporters covering this subject have a new challenge: keeping readers, viewers and listeners engaged through the long implementation process. This toolkit will help. Based on the June 10 briefing, it features story ideas from seasoned reporters and links to dozens of resources. Also included: a list of experts with contact information and helpful websites.
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| Offsite Materials (briefing documents saved on other websites) |
Health Care Reporting Guide for Journalists (Adobe Acrobat PDF), The New America Foundation, 6/1/2009
- A short reference document, especially useful for reporters new to the health policy beat, that lists websites relevant to health care reporting.
Navigating the Implementation Process--Reform Overview, Health Reform GPS, 4/12/2010
- A short document that summarizes the key components of health reform implementation.
Health Reform Implementation Timeline, The Kaiser Family Foundation, 4/27/2010
- A health reform implementation timeline divided into specific health reform topics covering 2010 to 2014.
Implementation Timeline for Federal Health Reform (Adobe Acrobat PDF),National Governor's Association, 4/13/2010
- A PPACA implementation timeline designed to assist states in understanding key deadlines and implementing health reform
Fact Sheet- Temporary High Risk Pool Program, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , 4/1/2010
- An HHS document outlining the role of states in the implementation of high-risk pools
Covering High-Risk Insurance Pools: Victoria Colliver, Association of Health Care Journalists , 5/1/2010
- Tips for journalists covering the role of states in setting up new temporary high-risk pools called for in the new reform law. By Victoria Colliver of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Covering High-Risk Insurance Pools: Sarah Varney, Association of Health Care Journalists, 5/1/2010
- Story ideas on new state high-risk pools and how individuals may be affected by them. By Sarah Varney of KQED Public Radio and The California Report.
Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program Provisions in the New Health Reform Law (Adobe Acrobat PDF),The Kaiser Family Foundation, 4/7/2010
- An 11-page document outlining changes to Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program under PPACA legislation
Early Medicaid Expansions under Health Reform (Adobe Acrobat PDF),Families USA, 5/1/2010
- A short fact sheet on the options availabe to states for expanding Medicaid programs under health reform
Health Reform's Changes in Medicare, Health Affairs and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation , 5/20/2010
- A three-page brief addressing changes in Medicare under health reform legislation
Summary of Key Changes to Medicare in 2010 Health Reform Law (Adobe Acrobat PDF),Kaiser Family Foundation, 4/1/2010
- A nine-page document that summarizes the key Medicare provisions under the new health reform law; includes a Medicare implementation timeline
Major Medicare Savings Under Health Reform Legislation (Adobe Acrobat PDF),American Medical Association, 4/7/2010
- A short overview of how Medicare changes in the health reform legislation are projected to cut spending
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009: Health Insurance Market Reforms (Adobe Acrobat PDF),National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 4/20/2010
- An 11- page in-depth chart that outlines the what and when of health insurance market reforms
Summary of Coverage Provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Adobe Acrobat PDF),The Kaiser Family Foundation, 4/28/2010
- A three-page document outlining the expansion of public insurance programs, individual mandates and changes to private insurance
Changes Coming To Insurance Plans , Kaiser Heatlh News, 4/6/2010
- Article focusing on the changes to insurance plans under health reform legislation that go into effect in September, 2010
Near-Term Changes in Health Insurance: Newly enacted health reform legislation mandates dozens of health insurance changes. Many go into effect this year and the next (Adobe Acrobat PDF),Health Affairs and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation , 4/30/2010
- A four-page brief on changes to the private insurance market that go into effect before 2012
Summary of Small Business Health Insurance Tax Credit Under PPACA (P.L. 111-148) (Adobe Acrobat PDF),Congressional Research Service , 4/5/2010
- A four-page summary that explains the Small Business Tax Credit under reform.
Will the Small Business Tax Credit Help Small Business Owners Provide Insurance (Adobe Acrobat PDF),National Federation of Independent Businesses, 5/1/2010
- An analysis of the implications of the small business tax credit for small businesses
Health Insurance Reform and Your State (HHS-Gov): Map By State , United States Department of Health and Human Services , 5/26/2010
- A website with an intreactive map that allows users to see the implications of health insurance reform by state
Facing Obamacare: What States Should Know , The Heritage Foundation, 5/3/2010
- An article that addresses how increased federal involvement in the health system under health reform legislations may affect states
State Actions to Implement Federal Health Reform , National Conference of State Legislatures, 6/20/2010
- Overviews state-by-state actions by legislatures and governors to implement health care reform
State Decison-Making in Implementing National Health Reform (Adobe Acrobat PDF),National Governors Association, 5/1/2010
- A 12-page discussion draft outlining the impact of health reform on states
What Will Happen Under Health Reform--And What's Next? A Resource for Journalists, The Commonwealth Fund, 5/1/2010
- A 12-page report geared for journalists covering health reform implementation. Features a helpful timeline, summary of major provisions in the legislation and background on how reform will affect different types of people.
Health Care Reform Law: Timeline for Small Businesses , National Federation of Independent Businesses , 4/13/2010
- A detailed implementation timelime of health reform provisions affecting small businesses
Health Coverage for the High-Risk Uninsured: Policy Options for Design of the Temporary High-Risk Pool (Adobe Acrobat PDF),National Institute For Health Care Reform, 5/1/2010
- A 12-page study outlining the policy issues that will need to be resolved for high-risk pools when states set up new temporary high-risk pools, with information on how to estimate the size of the eligible population.
Medicaid Coverage and Spending in Health Reform: National and State-by-State Results for Adults at or below 133% FPL (Adobe Acrobat PDF),Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured , 5/1/2010
- A seven-page executive summary of a study providing national and state-by-state estimates of increases in coverage and costs of the Medicaid provisions in the reform law
Lower Premiums, Stronger Businesses: How health insurance reform will bring down costs for small businesses (Adobe Acrobat PDF),United States Department of Health and Human Services , 1/1/2010
- A six-page document outlining how health care reform may decrease health costs for small businesses
Covering High-Risk Insurance Pools: David Hage, Association of Health Care Journalists, 5/1/2010
- This article briefly explains problems and successes the Minnesota high-risk pool has encountered and uses Minnesota’s pool as a resource to generate questions about the issues high-risk pools may create nationwide.
The Mississippi Delta's Healthcare Blues -- Noam Levey, Los Angeles Time, 6/3/2010
- A short article by Noam M. Levey using a human interest story in order to investigate how the reform law could help low-income people in Mississippi and how the state is fighting the law.
Health Premiums Likely to Rise More -- Noam Levey, Los Angeles Times, 4/13/2010
- This article by Noam M. Levey provides both a compelling example of health reporting and an informative analysis of loopholes in the health reform law, which may allow insurance companies to greatly increase premiums.
Some Recent Grads Face Health Care Coverage Gap -- Julie Rovner, National Public Radio, 5/27/2010
- This short story by Julie Rovner clarifies confusion surrounding provisions in the new health reform legislation to extend coverage to young adults as dependents on their parents’ plans.
Medicine Means Sometimes Having to Say You Are Sorry -- Joanne Kenen, Miller-McCune, 4/2/2010
- Describes how some health care organizations are changing how they respond when medical errors occur, admitting fault and apologizing rather than "denying and defending."
Covering Health Issues, 5th Edition -- Updated, Alliance for Health Reform, 6/1/2010
- This popular 246-page sourcebook for reporters has been updated to reflect the provisions of the new health reform law, and issues involved in the law's implementation.
Cubriendo temas de salud 2009 , Alliance for Health Reform, 6/1/2010
- This is the Spanish translation of the "Covering Health Issues" sourcebook for reporters, described above.
Health Law's Grandfather Clause Could Deprive Consumers Of Key Benefits -- Phil Galewitz and Mary Agnes Carey, Kaiser Health News, 5/10/2010
- This article notes that existing health plans are exempt from several of the consumer protections contained in the new reform, with potential consequences.
Transcript, Kaiser Family Foundation, 6/10/2010
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Julie Rovner of National Public Radio discussed story ideas and resources to help reporters covering health reform at the June 10 briefing cosponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Association of Health Care Journalists. Click the arrow above to see the full briefing webcast. |
Phil Galewitz of Kaiser Health News encouraged reporters to "follow the money" to find good health reform implementation stories, at the June 10 briefing cosponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Association of Health Care Journalists. Click on the arrow above to see the full briefing webcast. |
Noam Levey of the Los Angeles Times steered journalists toward the states as a source of health reform implementation story ideas, speaking at the June 10 briefing cosponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Association of Health Care Journalists. Click on the arrow above to see the briefing webcast. |
Joanne Kenen of the New Health Dialogue Blog discussed ways of finding new voices and new perspectives in covering health reform implementation, at the June 10 briefing cosponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Association of Health Care Journalists. |
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