State Health and Value Strategies is launching a new series to highlight health news at the state level. States of Innovation will share what states are working on to achieve better, more affordable, and more equitable health for all. This inaugural States of Innovation features state activity in March and April and includes updates from: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Virginia. 

State Health and Value Strategies’ States of Innovation series profiles the latest health news at the state level, highlighting what states are working on to achieve better, more affordable, and more equitable health for all. This States of Innovation highlights state activity in May 2024 which includes state efforts to address affordability, increase access to children’s coverage and care, engage the community and advance health equity. States also took action on maternal and reproductive health, access to mental and behavioral health, and coverage for justice-involved populations. This States of Innovation features updates from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawai’i, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Tennessee.

State Health and Value Strategies’ States of Innovation series profiles the latest health news at the state level, highlighting what states are working on to achieve better, more affordable, and more equitable health for all. This States of Innovation highlights state activity in June, 2024 which included engaging the community, efforts to advance health equity and new action on maternal health. States also took action on medical debt, the health effects of climate change and gun violence. This States of Innovation features updates from California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington.

This States of Innovation highlights state activity in July, 2024, which included measures to improve affordability, action on the issue of medical debt and expansions of coverage for non-citizen populations. This States of Innovation features updates from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennslyvania, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

This States of Innovation highlights state activity in August, 2024, which included states taking action on maternal health and medical debt, as well as increasing access to mental and behavioral health and services for children and youth. This States of Innovation features updates from Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Lousiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wyoming.

This States of Innovation highlights state activity in September, 2024, which included states taking action on healthcare affordability to address costs, expanding access to care, and health equity. This States of Innovation features updates from Arkansas, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

This States of Innovation highlights state activity in October 2024, which included states taking action on coverage for justice-involved populations, Marketplace innovations, and maternal health. This States of Innovation features updates from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

This States of Innovation highlights state activity in November 2024, which included states taking action on affordability and efforts to address costs, expanding access to care, and supporting mental and behavioral health and reproductive and women’s health. This States of Innovation features updates from Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

This States of Innovation highlights state activity in December 2024, which included new initiatives to provide mental and behavioral health and, in advance of the transition in federal administrations, the submission and approval of a significant number of waiver requests. This States of Innovation features updates from Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

This States of Innovation highlights state activity in January 2025, which included State-Based Marketplaces lifting up their record-breaking open enrollment periods, states moving to protect reproductive health, improve maternal health, address healthcare costs, and more. This States of Innovation features updates from California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.

This States of Innovation profiles state activity in February, which included states taking action on Medicaid defense, coverage for justice-involved populations, medical debt, and more. This States of Innovation features updates from Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. 

This States of Innovation profiles state activity in March, which included states continuing to emphasize the value of Medicaid, advocating to extend Marketplace affordability, medical debt, and more. This States of Innovation features updates from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Lousiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wyoming.

This States of Innovation profiles state activity in April 2025, which included states highlighting the value of Medicaid as Congress discusses potential federal cuts, reacting to federal policy, efforts to improve affordability, mental and behavioral health, and more. This States of Innovation features updates from Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

This States of Innovation profiles state activity in May 2025, which included states highlighting the value of Medicaid and Marketplace coverage as Congress discusses potential federal cuts, reacting to federal policy, extending Marketplace affordability, efforts to address cost, medical debt, and more. This States of Innovation features updates from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

This States of Innovation profiles state activity in June 2025, which included states highlighting the value of Medicaid and Marketplace coverage as the Congressional budget reconciliation process advances. Throughout June, states also advanced policies to improve healthcare affordability and expand access to care such as maternal and infant health, reproductive and women’s health, and mental and behavioral health. This States of Innovation features updates from Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

This States of Innovation profiles state activity in July 2025, which included states’ continued efforts to highlight the value of Medicaid following the passage of the federal budget reconciliation legislation. Throughout July, states also advanced policies to improve affordability and address costs, eliminate medical debt, and improve maternal and infant health as well as reproductive and women’s health. This States of Innovation features updates from Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

This States of Innovation profiles state activity in October 2025, which included states preparing to submit Rural Health Transformation Program applications by the November 5 deadline and State-Based Marketplaces making the case for Congress to extend the enhanced premium tax credits in time for open enrollment on November 1. Throughout the month, states also made progress towards improving affordability, leveraging artificial intelligence and technology, engaging community members through newly established Medicaid Beneficiary Advisory Councils, and protecting vaccine access. This States of Innovation features updates from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin.

This States of Innovation profiles state activity in December 2025, which included states protecting vaccine access,  preparing for the release of Rural Health Transformation Program awards and taking steps to strengthen mental and behavioral health. This States of Innovation features updates from Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawai’i, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

This States of Innovation profiles state activity in January 2026. Following updates to the U.S. childhood immunization schedule, a handful of states reaffirmed their commitment to preserving vaccine access, and states continued to respond to federal policy including H.R.1 and share implementation updates for their Rural Health Transformation Programs. With the expiration of the federal enhanced premium tax credits and the end of open enrollment, State-Based Marketplaces announced they would leverage state dollars to extend Marketplace affordability and published initial enrollment data. This States of Innovation features updates from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.

This States of Innovation profiles state activity in February 2026. States reported success with efforts to extend Marketplace affordability through state based subsidies to make up for the loss of enhanced premium tax credits. States also continued to react to federal policy, and made efforts to protect public health. Rural health also remained a focus as states advanced their Rural Health Transformation Programs through requests for applications, stakeholder engagement, and leadership updates. This States of Innovation features updates from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.