| Hot Topic: Workplace Health Programs and Cost Containment |
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The rising cost of health care and subsequent burden on employers has
led to new innovations seeking to engage employees in healthier
lifestyles. Both workplace clinics and workplace wellness programs have
shown that they can simultaneously improve an individual’s health
status while effectively providing a return on investment to companies
and cutting their health care costs. Many employers may look to this
emerging field to help control costs while also investing in their
employees’ well-being.
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| HCFO Releases a New Findings Brief |
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HCFO released a new findings brief based on a study led by Meredith
Rosenthal, Ph.D., and Haiden Huskamp, Ph.D., at Harvard University,
that examines the use of health risk appraisals (HRAs) by enrollees in
employer-sponsored health insurance.
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| New Data for Researchers |
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The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) recently opened its
first satellite Research Data Center (RDC) in Atlanta, which provides
researchers with access to health and vital statistics data from NCHS
and other agencies. In addition, the Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality (AHRQ) released a report examining the costs of
hospitalizations at the end of life.
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| Grantee Spotlight: Ha T. Tu |
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Ha T. Tu is the principal investigator for a new HCFO grant that is
examining employer strategies concerning workplace clinics, the
barriers faced by employers, and the impact of different strategies and
models on cost containment and care delivery.
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| AcademyHealth Releases a New Brief |
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The emerging science of public health systems and services research
(PHSSR) has the potential to inform the public health system’s
contribution to eliminating health disparities, which was set forth as
one of two overarching goals in Healthy People 2010. This new Research
Insights brief, “Addressing Disparities through Public Health Systems
and Services Research,” discusses how PHSSR can contribute to efforts
to measure, assess, and reduce disparities in health and health care.
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| New Grantee Publications |
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Bowen Garrett, Ph.D., and colleagues published the brief, “Premium and Cost-Sharing Subsidies under Health Reform: Implications for Coverage, Costs, and Affordability,” in December 2009 as a part of the Urban Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation series Timely Analysis of Immediate Health Policy Issues.
Michael Chernew, Ph.D., professor at Harvard Medical School, and colleagues published the December 9 online New England Journal of Medicine perspective, “Ensuring the Fiscal Sustainability of Health Care Reform.”
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| News and Events |
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Grantees in the News
Two articles resulting from HCFO projects were nominated by RWJF for the RWJF Year in Research. Vote today!
Jessie Gruman, Ph.D., was quoted in the December 4 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation article, “Spotlight on Consumer Choice.”
Findings
from a study led by Lawrence Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., were highlighted in
the December 3 Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet, “New CBO Analysis Confirms Benefits of Health Insurance Reform for Businesses.”
Stephen Zuckerman, Ph.D., was quoted in the November 28 Press & Sun-Bulletin article, “Senate Debate to Address Inequality in Medicare Costs.”
Awards and Appointments
Ann O’Malley, M.D., was selected to serve on the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s Physician Practice Connections®-Patient-Centered Medical Home™ Advisory Committee.
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