Brookings: Centers - Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform

Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:19:19 GMT

The Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform provides practical solutions to achieve high-quality, innovative, affordable health care with particular emphasis on identifying opportunities on the national, state and local levels.

The Scouting Report Web Chat: Flu Contagion in Schools

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As the nation and the world continue to grapple with H1N1, and while delivery of the vaccine in the United States faces delays, school closures are one policy tool under consideration to slow spread of the pandemic. Ross Hammond, co-author of a recent report that quantified the economic effects of school closures, and Fred Barbash, Politico senior editor, took questions in a live web chat about the implications and potential costs of this approach.

Bending the Curve: A Comparative Review of the Senate Finance Committee Reform Proposal

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In early September, the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform released a report, Bending the Curve: Effective Steps to Address Long-Term Spending Growth, to help inform the current debate. A new brief provides a high-level review of the legislation introduced by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, including a side-by-side summary of key provisions of the Bending the Curve report and those in the Baucus proposal.

Conference on Clinical Cancer Research

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:30:00 GMT

Event Information:

September 14, 2009, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

The 2009 Conference on Clinical Cancer Research, hosted by the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform and Friends of Cancer Research, brought together distinguished members of the cancer community for in-depth discussions of critical issues at the intersection of clinical research and policy. The event featured presentations by National Cancer Institute Director John Neiderhuber and FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, as well as panel discussions focusing on optimal data collection for clinical trials, development and approval of targeted therapies, and development of combination therapies targeting multiple pathways.

What's Next for Health Care Overhaul?

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Mark McClellan, a senior fellow and the director of the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform, talks with Kai Ryssdal about rumors that President Barack Obama may drop the public option in a new health care bill and what's likely to happen next.

Bending the Curve: Effective Steps to Address Long-Term Health Care Spending Growth

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Reducing the growth of health care spending must be a top priority for health care reform. With this goal in mind, a group of leading health policy experts, including Engelberg Center Director Mark McClellan, has released a set of concrete, feasible steps that show promise for both slowing spending growth and improving quality and value in health care.

Improving Quality and Value in the U.S. Health Care System

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As Congress and the Administration consider legislation to reduce the number of Americans without insurance coverage, they must simultaneously address shortfalls in the quality and efficiency of care that lead to higher costs and to poor health outcomes. Engelberg Center experts, with support from Avalere Health, discuss evidence on a range of payment and delivery system reforms designed to improve health care in a new report.

10 Steps to Better Health Care

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As the discussion on health care reform continues across America, Mark McClellan and other health policy experts have looked for solutions from communities that are already redesigning health care for the better. The experts offer a number of steps that can help our nation change how health care is delivered so that it is both less expensive and more effective.

Health Care Reform: Implementing Comparative Effectiveness Research

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:30:00 GMT

Event Information:

June 09, 2009, 8:30 AM to 12:45 PM

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 invested $1.1 billion in federal initiatives to begin the important and necessary work of comparative effectiveness research (CER), a key building block in health care reform. A forum hosted by the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform and The Hamilton Project addressed many of the key questions surrounding CER, and featured remarks from Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag.

Comparative Effectiveness Research: Priorities, Methods and Impact

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A forum hosted by the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform and The Hamilton Project addressed many of the key questions surrounding comparative effectiveness research (CER). Discussion papers released at the event focus on how research questions should be prioritized, what methods and data infrastructure are needed for CER, and how CER findings can be used to improve clinical and health policy decisions.

The Economic Impact of Health Care Reform

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

June 02, 2009, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

On June 2, Christina Romer, chair of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, joined Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform director Mark McClellan, Harvard economist David Cutler and former Congressional Budget Office director Douglas Holtz-Eakin to discuss the economic case for health care reform and its potential impact on the U.S. economy.

Health IT and Health Reform: Linking Incentives to Drive Accountability and Value

Wed, 20 May 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

May 20, 2009, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

As the Obama administration looks to reform health care, encouraging signs point to the potential for health IT to play a significant role in changing the current system. At a forum on May 20, hosted by the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform at Brookings in cooperation with the Markle Foundation, experts addressed strategies for coordinating recently enacted health IT incentives with other promising approaches to improving health care delivery.

The Path Forward for Academic Medical Centers

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:30:00 GMT

Event Information:

April 27, 2009, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Academic medical centers (AMCs) have long been integral to developing innovative treatments and assuring access to care for Americans who need the most help. The Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform at Brookings is launching a two-year project examining challenges facing the nation’s AMCs, particularly those in urban areas that serve a disproportionate share of lower-income and uninsured patients.

Building a Healthier America

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Despite unprecedented biomedical achievements, Americans are sicker than they should be and are dying far too young. From the standpoint of our economy, our future and our families, Mark McClellan and Alice Rivlin discuss why the need to improve Americans' health is greater than ever.

Medicare Part D: Good for Patients and an Opportunity for Pharmacists

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Reimbursement for medication therapy management services under Medicare Part D has created an historic opportunity for the pharmacy profession to step further into the role of managing outcomes as well as delivering medications to patients. Larry Kocot and Joshua Benner discuss how pharmacy leaders can be at the forefront of change by following five specific steps.

Fostering Accountable Health Care: Moving Foward in Medicare

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

To succeed, health care reform must slow spending growth while improving quality. Mark McClellan and leading health care experts propose a new approach to help achieve more integrated and efficient care by fostering local organizational accountability for quality and costs through performance measurement and "shared savings" payment reform.

The Pitfalls of Overreaching In Health Reform

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Although fundamental reform of U.S. health care is clearly necessary, there are still daunting obstacle: the sheer size of the health sector, the multiplicity of powerful groups with conflicting interests, and the factionalized U.S. political system. But change is in the air and chances for health care reform seem more likely than ever. However, Henry Aaron argues not to overreach and risk failure; instead he says the focus should be on essential and achievable steps that will sustain long-term change.

A Macropolicy View of Comparative Effectiveness Research

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

At a recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce event, Mark McClellan discussed comparative effectiveness as just one step in the larger process of developing and applying evidence to improve the quality and value of health care.

Creating a Long-Term Care Quality Alliance: A Town Hall Meeting

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

December 17, 2008, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Numerous organizations have expressed interest in establishing a Long-Term Care Quality Alliance in an effort to achieve sustainable, high-value, and person-focused long-term care in the United States. Based on an initial meeting and subsequent discussions with a wide range of stakeholders, there is consensus that the Alliance should focus on implementing or speeding efforts to improve quality in long-term care and related areas at the person level, regardless of setting.

FDA Sentinel Initiative: Structure, Function, and Scope

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

December 16, 2008, 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM

A day-long public workshop on FDA's Sentinel Initiative was held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington D.C. The workshop was co-sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration and the eHealth Initiative Foundation and convened by the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform at the Brookings Institution.

Advancing the Adoption of Health IT to Improve Quality and Value

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Increasing the adoption of health information technology (IT) has the potential to not only improve quality of care, but also change the way health care is delivered.

Advancing the Adoption of Health Information Technology to Improve Quality and Value in Health Care

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

November 24, 2008, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Mark McClellan, Carolyn Clancy and other distinguished experts addressed current opportunities to accelerate the adoption and integration of health IT, with an emphasis on how it can lead to higher quality care at lower costs.

Reform of How Health Care Is Paid for in China: Challenges and Opportunities

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

China's current strategy to improve how health services are paid for is headed in the right direction, but much more remains to be done. In a recent article in The Lancet, Brookings scholars David de Ferranti and Maria-Luisa Escobar, along with Shanlian Hu, Shenglan Tang, Yuanli Liu, and Yuxin Zhao, examine key challenges that need to be met and explore lessons from other countries.

Real Health Care Reform in 2009

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

November 17, 2008, 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM

With health care spending continuing to rise and an economy in crisis, what are the most promising ways forward to lower health care costs, improve care and provide sustainable coverage? How will health care reform efforts unfold with the new administration and Congress? To address these and other questions, Mark McClellan, director of the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform at Brookings, brought experts and policy-makers together to discuss the prospects for reforming our nation’s health care system. Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.) gave opening remarks.

Strategic Review: Real Health Care Reform in 2009

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From the standpoint of presidential and congressional leadership heading into 2009, one thing is clear: Now is the time for action on a different vision for health care reform.

Waste and the Health Care System

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

According to a widely held view, the U.S. health care system is replete with waste, the removal of which can finance health care reform. Unfortunately, what waste really means is poorly understood, and the potential for realizing quick savings is quite limited. Several measures hold out the promise of curbing the growth of health care spending, but savings are likely to be slow in coming says Henry Aaron.

Rising to the Challenge of Real Health Care Reform

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The high and rising cost of expanding coverage is a major reason why previous attempts to achieve universal coverage have not succeeded, and why reform will keep getting harder, writes Mark McClellan, if we use the same approaches as in the past.

State Health Reform Series

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:30:00 GMT

Event Information:

October 08, 2008, 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM

Reducing the number of people without insurance coverage remains an important policy priority at both the state and federal levels. However, current financial challenges and budget shortfalls mean that in addition to expanding affordable coverage options, policymakers must continue to seek ways to improve the delivery of care – and at lower costs.

Healthy Choice: A Step-by-Step approach to Universal Health Care

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Many Democrats see a return to the White House a call to resume the fight for full-blown national health insurance. Henry Aaron argues, a more modest, step-by-step approach carries a greater chance of success and—even more important—a smaller chance of devastating failure.

Conference on Clinical Cancer Research

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

September 26, 2008, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM

Consensus among stakeholders is needed to find solutions to critical questions regarding the future of clinical cancer research.

Long-Term Care Reform

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

July 11, 2008, 9:00 AM to 11:45 AM

Brookings’s Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform hosted a briefing on long-term care reform in the United States that focused on opportunities to improve quality of care and address the long-term fiscal challenges. Distinguished panelists included Senators Ron Wyden and Susan Collins; Representative Jim McCrery; Congressional Budget Office Director Peter Orszag; former Senator Bob Kerrey; and former Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Forum on Drug Safety and Post-Market Evidence

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:30:00 GMT

Event Information:

June 13, 2008, 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM

On June 13, 2008, the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform hosted a public forum on prescription drug safety that included a brief overview of current Food and Drug Administration activity as well as progress to date on a host of technical, legal, and communications-related challenges identified in the course of the center's ongoing collaborative work in this area.

Health Reform Through Tax Reform: A Primer

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Tax incentives for employer-sponsored insurance and other medical spending cost about $200 billion annually and have pervasive effects on coverage and costs. In this paper, Jason Furman surveys a range of proposals to reform health care, either by adding new tax incentives or by limiting or replacing the existing tax incentives.

Leaders’ Project on the State of American Health Care

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:57:19 GMT

Mark McClellan, announcing the launch of the Leaders’ Project on the State of American Health Care, an initiative of the Bipartisan Policy Center, says there must be improved access to quality coverage if we hope to have a healthier and more productive America.

Mobilizing to Fight Childhood Obesity

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hugh B. Price and Oliver Sloman look at the challenge in linking community agencies like the YMCA, as well as local schools, with health care professionals who can help children and their families ward off obesity and curtail the accompanying chronic illnesses.

Candidates' Health Care Plans: Take a Chill Pill

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

While voters are trying to figure out which presidential candidate has the better health care plan, Henry Aaron writes that there are little differences between the candidates’ health care plans, and argues that voters should focus on who can govern effectively.

Why Has Health Care Reform Failed?

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Henry Aaron argues that the nation cannot afford to once again walk away from the health care mess with nothing to show.

Budget Crisis, Entitlement Crisis, Health Care Financing Problem—Which Is It?

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Henry Aaron raises questions about the health-care budget and finding solutions to this long term problem.

Brookings Launches Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 11:57:21 GMT

The Brookings Institution announced today the creation of the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform and the appointment of Brookings Senior Fellow Mark B. McClellan MD, PhD, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as the center's founding director. The Engelberg Center will address the challenges of access, quality and finance facing the U.S. health care system and it will seek to effect lasting change by providing practical solutions that result in high-quality, innovative, affordable health care.

President Bush's Veto of SCHIP Funding Increase

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:25:19 GMT

The president’s veto of legislation to reauthorize the popular SCHIP program has ramifications for children and for next year’s elections. Brookings’s Henry Aaron talks about what is at stake in the congressional debate about health coverage for low-income children.

Funding the Veterans Affairs of the Future

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Testimony by Henry J. Aaron (10/03/07)

Concerns with Health Care Reform

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

In testimony to the Senate Budget Committee, Henry Aaron reviews options for health care reform.

Obesity and the Influence of Others

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Op-ed by Carol Graham, Ross A. Hammond and H. Peyton Young (08/21/07)

Agent Based Modeling: Population Health from the Bottom Up

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Presentation by Joshua M. Epstein (07/13/07)

Universal, Effective and Affordable Health Insurance: An Economic Imperative

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Paper by Jason Furman and Robert E. Rubin (July 2007)

A Comprehensive Cure: Universal Health Care Vouchers

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Paper by Ezekiel J. Emanuel and Victor R. Fuchs (July 2007)

Achieving Universal Coverage Through Medicare Part E(veryone)

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Several principles govern the creation of our Medicare Part E(veryone) proposal. First, universal health insurance coverage is necessary.

Medicare Advantage and the Federal Budget

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

On June 28, 2007, Brookings Senior Fellow Mark McClellan testified before the House Budget Committee, discussing the Medicare Advantage program as it relates to the Federal Budget and the overall value it brings to the health care system for the public.

Complex Systems Approaches to Population Health

Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings' Senior Fellow Joshua M. Epstein joined scholars from across the country at the University of Michigan to explore how complex systems approaches can be used to understand the broad problems of population health.

Drug Safety Reform at the FDA: Pendulum Swing or Systematic Improvement?

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Article by Mark B. McClellan (April 13, 2007)

A Wellness Trust to Prioritize Disease Prevention

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Paper by Jeanne M. Lambrew (April 2007)

The Promise of Progressive Cost Consciousness in Health-care Reform

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Paper by Jason Furman (April 2007)

Mending the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit: Improving Consumer Choices and Restructuring Purchasing

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Paper by Richard G. Frank and Joseph P. Newhouse (April 2007)

A Health-Care Test for All

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Joseph Antos and Alice M. Rivlin (03/28/07)

Restoring Fiscal Sanity 2007: The Health Spending Challenge

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 10:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

March 15, 2007, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Fundamental Improvements in Drug Safety for the 21st Century: Time for a Systematic, Electronic Infrastructure

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Testimony by Mark B. McClellan (03/14/07)

Are We Born Prejudiced?

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Article on Ross A. Hammond (03/17/07)

Q&A on Restoring Fiscal Sanity 2007

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Alice M. Rivlin Interview on Restoring Fiscal Sanity 2007 (3/12/07)

Restoring Fiscal Sanity 2007: The Health Spending Challenge

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Book edited by Alice M. Rivlin and Joseph Antos (March 2007)

Three Steps to Better Healthcare

Sat, 10 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Henry J. Aaron (2/10/07)

New Directions in Health Policy: A Discussion of the President's Tax-Based Health Insurance Proposals

Fri, 09 Feb 2007 13:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

February 09, 2007, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Plain Talk About Health Care

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

There is a dramatic disconnect between the design and intent of the U.S. government's health care programs when compared to the real needs of the population and in light of the realities of high-powered, very expensive modern medicine. Tinkering with our current approach simply will not solve our problems. We need a fundamental redesign.

Options to Close the Long-run Fiscal Gap

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Testimony by Jason Furman (1/31/07)

A Bipartisan Attempt to Break the Health-reform Stalemate

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Henry J. Aaron and Stuart Butler, Salt Lake Tribune (January 1, 2007)

The Practice and Potential of Medicine: How to Close the Gap

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 09:30:00 GMT

Event Information:

December 15, 2006, 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM

Transforming U.S. Health Care: Policy Challenges Affecting the Integration and Improvement of Care

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Because of advances in medical knowledge, the sickest and most costly patients usually receive care from multiple physicians who are often based at multiple institutions. We argue that organization of providers into integrated delivery networks is an important tactic for promoting coordination among physicians.

Are Healthcare's Problems Incurable? One Integrated Delivery System's Program for Transforming Its Care

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

This brief argues that an important strategy for improving healthcare is the development of provider organizations that can implement electronic medical records (EMR) and other systems that can enhance coordination of clinicians, reduce inefficiency, and improve safety and quality.

Assessing the Impact of Pandemic Flu

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 10:30:00 GMT

Event Information:

October 19, 2006, 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Health experts are concerned that a pandemic influenza could kill millions of people worldwide and cripple the global economy. As governments spend millions of dollars to stockpile medicines and plan emergency responses, what are the critical factors that should be considered for an effective response? Brookings experts addressed the potential impact of a pandemic flu worldwide.

The Causes and Policy Implications of Rising Health Care Spending

Fri, 24 Feb 2006 13:30:00 GMT

Event Information:

February 24, 2006, 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM

The Bush Administration has proposed a number of health care policies that would place greater responsibility for health care decisions on individuals by expanding the use of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and high deductible insurance plans. The Administration argues that this approach will encourage consumers to spend their health care dollars more cost-effectively, thereby putting downward pressure on health care costs. Critics of these proposals argue that HSAs and high deductible plans are unlikely to control costs or solve other critical problems, including the lack of insurance coverage for 46 million Americans or the pressure on costs from new technologies.

Can We Say No?: The Challenge of Rationing Health Care

Tue, 07 Feb 2006 09:30:00 GMT

Event Information:

February 07, 2006, 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM

Health care reform is back on the national agenda, with President Bush using the State of the Union address to call for expanding health savings accounts, limiting medical malpractice claims and medical errors, and helping workers switch jobs without losing their current health plans. But with health-care costs as a share on national income triple what they were in 1950; the focus seems to be more on restraining costs than increasing access.

A Healthcare Prescription That's Hard to Swallow

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Henry J. Aaron, Los Angeles Times (1/30/05)

Health Care Reform

Mon, 23 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Interview by Henry J. Aaron, The Diane Rehm Show (1/23/06)

Health Care Rationing: What it Means

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Policy Brief #147 by Henry J. Aaron (December 2005)

Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease: What Does Rationing Do?

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Policy Brief #148 by Henry J. Aaron (December 2005)

How Do They Do That? Low-Cost, High-Quality Health Care in America

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 GMT

Engelberg Center Director Mark McClellan—alongside health care improvement experts Drs. Donald Berwick, Elliott Fisher, and Atul Gawande—brought together teams from 10 high-performing regions to explore the factors that underlie the mechanisms for delivering health care in their communities and to discuss ways to implement such health care in the rest of the country.

Getting to a High-Value Health Care System: Developing the Infrastructure for Meaningful Quality Measurement and Reporting

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 GMT

During a recent Capitol Hill briefing, the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform and other key stakeholders discussed the need for valid, timely, consistent, and widely available information about the quality and cost for care in implementing real health care reform.