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State Initiatives To Improve Health Care Affordability

The Center for American Progress is dedicated to bolstering affordable, high-quality health care and health insurance coverage. Many Americans, even those with comprehensive insurance, struggle to afford their premiums and out-of-pocket costs. In response, state policymakers are increasingly prioritizing policies that both address the drivers of high costs—in particular, high health care prices—and improve the out-of-pocket affordability of health care for individuals and families.

This five-part series highlights specific actions states are taking to make health care out-of-pocket costs more affordable and advance access to care, including through:

  1. Lowering out-of-pocket cost sharing in Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace insurance
  2. Enhancing consumer protections and improving the value of insurance
  3. Lowering the costs of prescription drugs
  4. Averting and alleviating medical debt
  5. Limiting prior authorization

The back of a man holding a cane in his left hand is seen at a pharmacy counter with a pharmacy worker in the background.
A man waits at a pharmacy for his prescription to be filled on October 3, 2023, in New York. (Getty/Robert Nickelsberg)

Strengthening Health, Health Care Costs, Health Coverage and Access

In this series

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Event Recap: State Policy Efforts To Avert and Alleviate Medical Debt Article
The back of a nurse is seen as they tend to a patient in a hospital bed.

Event Recap: State Policy Efforts To Avert and Alleviate Medical Debt

The fourth session in the Center for American Progress’ state health care affordability series highlighted policies in Minnesota and Oregon as well as model legislation aimed at protecting consumers from the financial burdens of medical debt.

Natasha Murphy

Event Recap: State Policy Efforts To Enhance Consumer Protections in Health Care and Improve the Value of Insurance Article
End of a hospital bed seen through a door

Event Recap: State Policy Efforts To Enhance Consumer Protections in Health Care and Improve the Value of Insurance

The second session in the Center for American Progress’ state health care affordability series highlighted policies that Connecticut, Tennessee, and Texas have implemented to address common barriers that undermine affordability and compromise access to care.

Natasha Murphy

Event Recap: Affordability Beyond Premiums Article
Registered nurses sit at their desks while working at a medical center.

Event Recap: Affordability Beyond Premiums

The first session in the Center for American Progress’ state health care affordability series highlighted policies in New Mexico, California, and New Jersey to lower out-of-pocket costs for marketplace enrollees.

Natasha Murphy

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