Expert Study Panel Releases Working Papers on Expanding Access to Health Care

Research Addresses Potential Implementation and Administration Challenges

For Immediate Release: March 20, 2009
Contact: Jill Braunstein at (202) 452-8097

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ten working papers on key management and administrative issues that are likely to arise as part of current efforts to expand health coverage were issued today by a joint study panel of the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) and the National Academy of Public Administration.

“Analysis of proposals to expand health coverage often focus on their policy impact. Failure to address matters of implementation can result in policies or programs that cost too much or fail to achieve their goals,” said Paul Van de Water, project director and Senior Fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “These papers are the study panel’s first step in assessing the management and administrative issues likely to arise.”

The NASI-NAPA study panel is co-chaired by Robert A. Berenson of the Urban Institute and William A. Morill of ICF Consulting. Panel members represent a wide variety of perspectives and include academics, consultants, and executives of health care companies, foundations, and associations. A list of study panel members is available here.

The commissioned papers are available for download free of charge:

• Paying a Fair Share for Health Coverage and Care by Jill Bernstein (Consultant)
• Administering Health Insurance Mandates by C. Eugene Steuerle (Urban Institute) and Paul N. Van de Water (NASI)
• Restructuring Health Insurance Markets by Elliot K. Wicks (Health Management Associates)
• Simplifying Administration of Health Insurance by Mark Merlis (Consultant)
• The Regulation of Private Health Insurance by Timothy Stoltzfus Jost (Washington and Lee Law School)
• Cost Containment and Coverage Expansion by Mark Merlis (Consultant)
• Designing a Mixed Public and Private System for the Health Insurance Market by Bryan Dowd (University of Minnesota)
• Re-figuring Federalism: Nation and State in Health Reform’s Next Round by Lawrence D. Brown (Columbia University)
• Designing Administrative Organizations for Health Reform by Paul N. Van de Water (NASI)
• Recent Changes in Dutch Health Insurance by Kieke Okma (New York University)

The panel’s final report will be released soon. The project is funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org or www.rwjf.org/overcomingbarriers.