Briefings
	Past Briefings

	Interactive map: Community Quality Initiatives This state-by-state map shows sites and details about three types of community quality improvement efforts -- Aligning Forces for Quality, Beacon Communities and initiatives supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. To view, click here. Read More

	New Edition of "Covering Health Issues" Available Online The completely updated 200-page Alliance sourcebook, "Covering Health Issues, 6th Edition" is now available online. Written with reporters in mind,"Covering Health Issues" is useful for anyone looking for concise information on health policy issues, and experts from across the political spectrum. Chapters contain fast facts, background, tips for reporters, story ideas and experts with contact information. The book also includes an extensive glossary and ideas for TV and radio reporters. Supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. To see a video demonstration of the book by Julie Rovner of NPR, click here. To go to the table of contents, click here. To download the entire sourcebook as a PDF, click here. Read More

	Issue Brief -- Employer & Consumer Issues in Reform The latest Alliance for Health Reform issue brief reviews the smorgasbord of provisions in the health reform law affecting how employers offer health coverage and how consumers buy coverage. To download this four-page document, click here. Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and written by Andy Miller, editor and CEO of Georgia Health News. A text-only version is also available with extensive endnotes. To download, click here.   Read More

	Issue Brief -- Implementing Health Reform Implementing the new health reform law falls in large measure to the federal government. But all 50 states and the District of Columbia have responsibilities under the new law. This issue brief describes how federal and state government implementation efforts will mesh, and some key tasks to be performed by each. Written by Deanna Okrent of the Alliance and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. To download, click here. Read More

	Issue Brief -- Local Quality Collaboratives The latest Alliance issue brief reports on how collaboratives are working at the local level to improve care in ways tailored to each community’s needs. Written by the Alliance's Deanna Okrent and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. To download, click here. Read More

	Inside Deficit Reduction: What It Means for Medicare Proposals to generate Medicare savings abound, from the various commissions recommending change, members of Congress and others. Which proposals will, or should, receive serious consideration by the super committee in its quest to find $1.2 trillion or more in savings by its November 23 deadline? What impact would these changes have on beneficiaries, providers and insurers? Would stakeholders prefer the automatic, but capped, reductions in the sequester to any recommendations on Medicare reductions the super committee might make? To address these questions and more, the Alliance for Health Reform and four cosponsors presented an October 11 briefing. Cosponsors were The Commonwealth Fund, the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The SCAN Foundation. Read More