Evaluation of State Initiatives to Expand Health Insurance Among Small Businesses

Are states' efforts to encourage small businesses to offer their employees health insurance successful? This study was designed to evaluate whether three sets of state initiatives -- waiving mandated benefit requirements, subsidizing premiums and reforming the small group insurance market -- have led to an increase in the availability of insurance among employees of small firms. Results from the study helped states to understand the potential effects of implementing legislative mandates to reform the small group market and the relative impact of three types of initiatives on expanding coverage among small businesses.