July 10, 2009. The larger aim of the SHARE program is to provide evidence to state policy makers on specific mechanisms that contribute to successful state health reform efforts. To support this goal, SHARE grantees are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to disseminate their research findings to policy makers by presenting at conferences, publishing issue briefs, releasing reports, and providing legislative testimony, among other activities. As SHARE grantees enter the second year of their research, many have begun to release preliminary findings in order to launch this dissemination process.
Anna Sommers’ recent dissemination activities provide a clear example of effectively getting research into the hands of policy makers. Anna was one of several grantees who released findings at the 2009 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting in Chicago (slides posted here). Soon after, Charles Milligan, Executive Director of The Hilltop Institute and an investigator on Anna's project, presented her results about New Mexico’s State Coverage Insurance (SCI) program at a meeting of the New Mexico Legislative Health and Human Services Committee. Mr. Milligan was asked to testify to the committee about the impact of the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) on New Mexico’s SCI program, and Anna’s findings comprised a key part of his testimony. Based on Anna’s findings, Mr. Milligan raised concerns about the impact of CHIPRA—which changes the funding scheme for SCI, and treats the waiver that covers parents differently than the waiver for childless adults—on the administrative burden of the SCI enrollment process.
As SHARE grantees continue to release findings, SHARE will assist in the dissemination effort by publishing the findings as formal issue briefs. Check our website to stay updated about these publications, or join the SHARE e-mail list at our homepage in order to be notified when they are available.