Additional Funds for Executive Director for the Commonwealth Fund Council of Economic Advisors

The Commonwealth Fund’s Controlling Health Care Cost Control initiative seeks to track and understand trends in U.S. health care costs and identify actions that could sustain or slow private and public health spending growth. The Fund’s Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) provides advice and insight for the initiative. In the first year of funding, staff conducted two meetings of the CEA and facilitated interim communications with the group; provided input on current cost-related grant proposals; and wrote two papers, one for the Fund’s Medicare at 50 Years series and another on state premium trends. The draft for a third paper, dealing with the Affordable Care Act and the economy, has been submitted to the Fund for review. This grant will support Cathy Schoen in her role as executive director of the CEA through January 2016 and in her role as adviser to the Fund on cost control issues. Over the five-month period, the grant will support the following activities: 1) planning the next CEA meeting in January 2016; 2) developing potential collaborative work identified in July; 3) consulting with the Fund to develop cost-related grants; 4) speaking at up to two events; and 5) preparing up to two short papers. Cathy Schoen’s work with the CEA and Fund grantees will produce a greater understanding of health care cost trends as well as potential policy and regulatory options related to payment, health care markets, or other areas. Federal and state policymakers are the principal audience.