A new report by the Commonwealth Fund concluded that the states have done little to improve access to healthcare, its overall quality, or its costs. According to a survey of 42 health indicators between 2007 and 2012, Commonwealth Fund researchers found that affordability not only declined in many states, but that spending increased by nearly a half-billion dollars, even though the nation was in a steep recession for a good portion of that time period. Commonwealth Fund officials advocated for joint state and federal initiatives to improve healthcare quality and affordability. Article