State Health Policy Research

Submission deadline:  Monday, October 28, 2013

Sponsored by: a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC) at the University of Minnesota, School of Public Health.

Health Services Research (HSR) and the State Health Access Reform Evaluation (SHARE) initiative are partnering to publish a Theme Issue on State Health Policy Research

Health Services Research invites papers for consideration in a Theme Issue on the implementation and outcome of state efforts to expand health insurance coverage and access to health care services under health reform.  The Journal is interested in both single and multi-state evaluations of the implementation of federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) to inform state health policy and to advance the field of health services research.  Relevant policies and programs include but are not limited to:  the impact of the Medicaid expansion in improving coverage rates; the effectiveness of outreach and enrollment activities; persistent barriers in access to care; implementation and use of state-based and federally-facilitated health insurance exchanges; payment and delivery system reform specifically linked to access and coverage;  employer response to new coverage options; research on provider supply as well as the impact of the ACA on the safety net.  The Journal is specifically interested in rigorous quantitative research and evaluation research to advance the field of state policy-based research.   This call will not consider disease-specific treatment and outcome research, research on the quality of health care services, qualitative work without a quantitative component, or discussion pieces or commentaries.

The deadline for initial submission of manuscripts is October 28, 2013.  Criteria for selection of manuscripts include: (1) quality, rigor and originality, (2) significance and usefulness for enhancing our understanding of state efforts to expand coverage and access to health care services under health reform; (3) and clarity of writing and presentation.  All manuscripts must follow the “Instructions for Authors” listed at:http://www.hsr.org/hsr/information/authors/instrucauthors.jsp.

Manuscripts submitted for the Theme Issue will first undergo the same HSR peer review process as all regular manuscripts. However, due to the timeline for publishing the Theme Issue, HSR will monitor the progress of manuscripts through the review process and try to shorten the overall process; likewise, authors should expect to be especially timely in returning revisions. All accepted articles will be published electronically within a brief period after acceptance using Wiley-Blackwell’s Early View process. Articles published through Early View are fully published, appear in PubMed, and can be cited.

Accepted articles submitted for the Theme Issue will then undergo an additional selection process for inclusion in the printed Theme Issue, which will be widely promoted. Approximately 6 to 8 articles will be selected, based on the most original and significant work addressing the theme.  Accepted manuscripts that are not selected for the Theme Issue will be automatically scheduled for print publication in a regular issue. The print publication date for the Theme Issue will be December 2014.

Key dates for authors:

Oct 28, 2013: Submission deadline of manuscripts for the Theme Issue
May 1, 2014 – Sept 19, 2014: Notification of accepted papers to HSR (dependent on date of initial submission)
Oct 1, 2014: Notification of assignment of accepted papers to the Theme Issue or Regular Issue
December 2014: Print Publication Date for Theme Issue