The Affordable Care Act was supposed to greatly enhance the nation’s safety net by expanding health coverage. It partially succeeded but fell short as 12 states still decline to expand Medicaid, a key facet of the law. The pandemic laid bare more gaps in the safety net, as hunger, unemployment and the toll from the disease rose. But it was also a time for experimentation that saw the rise of telehealth and other services. So how can the safety net be reimagined in this political moment? States continue to be a key source of innovation. Our panelists discuss how the safety net could be structured and better funded to deal better with the next health catastrophe.
 

Supported by the Charles C. Leighton, MD Memorial Lecture Fund.