As the political dust surrounding health care reform settles, states are getting down to the business of establishing health insurance exchanges. Participants learned more about key health insurance exchanges issues in the 2013 legislative sessions. This workshop examined exchange planning and implementation efforts—looking at issues for both state-based and federally facilitated approaches, including partnerships. The panel focused on topics such as governance, regulatory oversight and financing, as well as general exchange policy.

As the political dust surrounding health care reform settles, states are getting down to the business of establishing health insurance exchanges. Participants learned more about key health insurance exchanges issues in the 2013 legislative sessions. This workshop examined exchange planning and implementation efforts—looking at issues for both state-based and federally facilitated approaches, including partnerships. The panel focused on topics such as governance, regulatory oversight and financing, as well as general exchange policy.

The recent Supreme Court decision on health care reform squarely placed the decision on expanding Medicaid eligibility in the hands of the states. Policymakers are grappling with a myriad of arguments on both sides—and struggling to balance what their states can afford and what their uninsured state residents need. State leaders who have studied the question and arrived at different answers shared their analyses. Dr. Joseph Thompson, Arkansas’ surgeon general, also reviewed his state’s progress in implementing the nation’s first statewide Medicaid payment reform initiative. Other speakers addressed significant reform efforts to control Medicaid costs in their states.

The recent Supreme Court decision on health care reform squarely placed the decision on expanding Medicaid eligibility in the hands of the states. Policymakers are grappling with a myriad of arguments on both sides—and struggling to balance what their states can afford and what their uninsured state residents need. State leaders who have studied the question and arrived at different answers shared their analyses. Dr. Joseph Thompson, Arkansas’ surgeon general, also reviewed his state’s progress in implementing the nation’s first statewide Medicaid payment reform initiative. Other speakers addressed significant reform efforts to control Medicaid costs in their states.

The recent Supreme Court decision on health care reform squarely placed the decision on expanding Medicaid eligibility in the hands of the states. Policymakers are grappling with a myriad of arguments on both sides—and struggling to balance what their states can afford and what their uninsured state residents need. State leaders who have studied the question and arrived at different answers shared their analyses. Dr. Joseph Thompson, Arkansas’ surgeon general, also reviewed his state’s progress in implementing the nation’s first statewide Medicaid payment reform initiative. Other speakers addressed significant reform efforts to control Medicaid costs in their states.

By 2018, the U.S. will need 22 million new college degrees; the nation will fall short of that number by at least 3 million postsecondary degrees. This means not only lost wages for workers, but also lost job creation for state economies. This workshop addressed opportunities for state policymakers to impact higher education funding, align pathways leading to employment and develop strategies for meeting the demands for a skilled workforce.

The new federal surface transportation authorization bill includes many provisions welcomed by state governments. But the two-year bill, known as MAP-21, did not address long-term transportation revenue needs. Attendees learned how states are implementing MAP-21 and exploring potential new transportation revenue sources and got an update on the state of the nation’s infrastructure. Speakers included representatives from the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Texas Department of Transportation, and Texas A&M University’s Texas Transportation Institute.

The new federal surface transportation authorization bill includes many provisions welcomed by state governments. But the two-year bill, known as MAP-21, did not address long-term transportation revenue needs. Attendees learned how states are implementing MAP-21 and exploring potential new transportation revenue sources and got an update on the state of the nation’s infrastructure. Speakers included representatives from the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Texas Department of Transportation, and Texas A&M University’s Texas Transportation Institute.