California policies and policymakers were evident throughout the conference from California Health Benefit Exchange board member Kim Belshé serving on a panel examining state health insurance exchanges to Molly Coye, chief innovation officer for the UCLA Health System, moderating a panel on "Using Evidence to Build a Learning Health Care System."
Belshé, California's HHS secretary during Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration, prefaced her remarks about building an exchange and health care reform in general by saying, "This is not an undertaking for the faint of heart. I usually say it's not for sissies." Belshé added, "But Academy Health is a more refined group, so I'll say faint of heart."
California, the first state to authorize and embark on building a reform-driven exchange, is much further along in the process than many states, especially Iowa. Iowa Insurance Commissioner Susan Voss, serving on the panel with Belshé, said she's considering drastic measures to get things moving in her state.
"I'm thinking about tequila as part of the essential benefits package," Voss said. "Get everybody in a room with a table full of tequila shots and maybe we'll get somewhere."
Voss, who has served as insurance commissioner under three governors, said political differences -- and now judicial uncertainty -- have stalled efforts to start an exchange.
http://www.californiahealthline.org/features/2012/polarization-evident-at-national-health-policy-conference.aspx#ixzz1mgDlUop1
Hat tip: California HealthLine
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