title: State high-risk pools: an update on the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association.
abstract: State health insurance high-risk pools are a key component of the US health care system's safety net, because they provide health insurance to the "uninsurable." In 2007, 34 states had individual high-risk pools, which covered more than 200 000 people at a total cost of $1.8 billion. We examine the experience of the largest and oldest pool in the nation, the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association, to document key issues facing state high-risk pools in enrollment and financing. We also considered the role and future of high-risk pools in light of national health care finance reform.
authors.affiliation: State Health Access Data Assistance Center and the School of Public Health, Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA. blewe001@umn.edu
authors.forename: Lynn A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Blewett
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: Courtney E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Burke
mesh_terms: D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015271:Insurance Pools / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008910:Minnesota; D009939:Organizations, Nonprofit / Q000458:organization & administration; D012306:Risk; D013221:State Health Plans / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data