Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of the New Orleans health care system. With more than a dozen hospitals damaged and thousands of doctors dislocated, virtually all New Orleanians lost access to their usual health care providers. Individuals with acute or chronic conditions were particularly hard hit. Although the immediate crisis has subsided, state and national officials, employers, and insurers must confront a wide array of difficult health care challenges in Katrina's aftermath. In particular, what happens to the individual who had insurance through an employer that is now out of business? How should care for uninsured individuals be financed? What happens to a Louisiana Medicaid beneficiary who evacuated to another state? How should the New Orleans's health care system be reconstructed, especially the safety net?