Presentations and Testimony

Lydia Ogden, Institute for Advanced Policy Solutions/Center for Entitlement Reform at Emory University, presented findings from her HCFO study—led by James Buehler, M.D.—at the American Public Health Association (APHA) [2] Conference in Philadelphia on November, 10. The grantees are exploring formula-based allocation strategies in public health practice, the impact on funding allocations of various formula design options, and the policy implications associated with using different strategies.

Glen Mays, Ph.D., M.P.H., professor and chairman in the department of Health Policy & Management in the Fay W.

Michael Chernew, Ph.D., professor at Harvard Medical School , spoke at the September 9 Health Affairs briefing, “Bending the Cost Curve in Health Spending.” [6] Dr. Chernew published findings from his HCFO-funded study that examined the factors relating to cost growth in the Medicare and commercial sectors in the special theme issue of Health Affairs [7] released that day.

Mythreyi Bhargavan, Ph.D., director of research at the American College of Radiology, presented preliminary findings from her HCFO study at the American Society of Health Economists [10](ASHE) Conference in Durham, N.C., June 22-25, 2008.

Stephen T. Parente, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Minnesota, and colleagues presented "Is Consumerism at Odds with Prevention: The Indirect Effects of Consumer-Directed Health Plans on Preventive Service Utilization," [14] at the American Society of Health Economists (ASHE) conference on June 24, 2008.

Mythreyi Bhargavan, Ph.D., director of research at the American College of Radiology, and Jonathan H. Sunshine, Ph.D., senior director of research at the American College of Radiology, presented preliminary findings from their HCFO study at the American Public Health Association (APHA) Conference  [19]in San Diego, October, 25-29.

Stephen Soumerai, Sc.D., professor at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Inc., presented findings from his HCFO-sponsored study at the December 4, Pharmacotherapy Summit [21].  In this study, Soumerai and colleagues are evaluating the effects of prior authorization of new medications among Medicaid beneficiaries with bipolar disorder in the state of Maine.

HCFO grantee, Bradley Herring, Ph.D., assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University, spoke at the March 2 Alliance for Health Reform briefing, “Covering the Uninsured: Options for Reform.” [26]

On April 2, HCFO grantee Paul Ginsburg, Ph.D., president of the Center for Studying Health System Change, testified before the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health in a hearing titled, “Making Health Care Work for American Families: Saving Money, Saving Lives.” [29] In his testimony, Dr. Ginsburg discussed price and quality transparency. Dr.

Findings from three studies, co-funded by HCFO and The Commonwealth Fund, were presented at an Institute of Medicine workshop, The Healthcare Imperative: Lowering Costs and Improving Outcomes [31], which took place on May 21 and 22 at the Keck Center of the National Academies in Washington, D.C. The session on excess administrative costs in the health care system featured results from: