What's New with HCFO - June 15, 2007 (Print All Articles)
Upcoming Special Topic Solicitation to be Released on June 25th
Health Care Costs: Research to Inform Policy
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, through its Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization (HCFO) Program, will be issuing a call for proposals to conduct research and analyses on the complex causes and potential solutions to rising health care costs in support of the Foundation’s activities to increase coverage. AcademyHealth is managing the solicitation in its role as the national program office for the HCFO Initiative.
Framework
Rising health care costs affect the individual, the employer, the provider, the private insurer, the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and a host of other stakeholders. Unrestrained cost growth makes the search for new insurance products and benefit packages more pressing, yet it is difficult to accurately price these products or know the impact on use and overall costs. Further, understanding what constitutes affordable coverage and how to subsidize coverage for those who cannot afford market prices is also a complex undertaking.
Policymakers, researchers, providers, and health plans have made various attempts to define and quantify the extent of the problem, as well as the root causes. There also have been a multitude of public and private solutions proposed to address various components of rising health care costs. However, there are a number of knowledge gaps that hinder the search for solutions.
Proposed Application Criteria
All projects will begin on January 1, 2008. There is no predetermined dollar amount, however, projects should be structured as to not exceed 18 months. Researchers should have a demonstrated track record in health services research, economics, or financing. Junior researchers may apply as the principal investigator. However, to be competitive, the proposal must provide evidence that there is sufficient senior research oversight and support.
Application Procedure
This solicitation is open to all qualified applicants. Unlike the general HCFO grantmaking process, this solicitation features a batched application process. Therefore, all proposals submitted under this solicitation will be reviewed simultaneously and competitively.
Proposed Timeline
* Solicitation Released – Monday, June 25
* Brief Proposals due – Monday, August 6
* Full proposals due (by invitation only) Monday, October 1
* Funding decisions made – late November
For More Information
* Solicitation will be announced on www.hcfo.net.
* To ensure you receive the solicitation announcement, please check our Web site on or after Monday, June 25th.
New HCFO News & Progress
The May 2007 issue of HCFO News & Progress details how HCFO makes strategic funding decisions which, combined with disseminationand convening activities, helps build a reserach base. In addition, the issue provides detailed information about recently awarded HCFO grants, and the awarded grants from the second PHSR Special Topic Solicitation. Finally, it highlights several HCFO publications released in late 2006 and early 2007.
To view the May 2007 HCFO News & Progress, please visit the HCFO Web site.
New HCFO Grant Announced
Title: The Impact of Assisted Living Growth on the Market for Nursing Home Care
Institution: Harvard Medical School
Principal Investigator: David Grabowski, Ph.D.
Grant Duration: June 2007 - May 2009
Paragraph Summary: How is the growth in assisted living linked with decreased occupancy rates, increased resident acuity, and increased resident reliance on Medicaid in nursing home?. In particular, they would: 1) document the growth of the assisted living sector over time; 2) isolate the effect of assisted living growth on nursing home utilization; 3) examine the relationship between assisted living growth and nursing home payer mix; 4) estimate the effect of assisted living growth on nursing home resident acuity; and 5) assess whether the growth in assisted living has implications for nursing home quality. They would also establish a national assisted living database to facilitate empirical work to isolate the effect of assisted living growth on the nursing home market. The objective of the project is to better inform policymakers as they address the best incentives for meeting the nation’s growing long term care needs, at reasonable cost, in a dynamic market.
This Month in the News
Findings from a project led by Susan Busch, Ph.D., were highlighted in a recent article on HealthNewsDigest.com. The article features recently released findings from their study examining the effects of mental health parity laws on our-of-pocket costs. Busch states that “many states have passed mental health parity laws in an effort to improve equity in private insurance and reduce financial risk for those with mental illness.” Findings from this study were featured in the June 2007 issue of Health Services Research.
Paul Ginsburg, Ph.D., will be speaking at the Second National Consumer Driven Healthcare Summit, which takes place in Washington, DC September 26-28, 2007.
Stephen Parente, Ph.D., and his family were profiled in BusinessWeek for their use of a high-deductible health plan with a health savings account. The article details what Parente, after years of studying the plans, learned after enrolling himself and his family into a plan.
James Robinson, Ph.D., was recently named the new editor-in-chief of Health Affairs. Founding editor John Iglehart noted that Robinson “combines in one individual academic achievement, intellectual depth, and a deep commitment to ‘shoe leather’ social science that will make him an ideal candidate.”
Bruce Stuart, Ph.D., was recently appointed to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC).
New HCFO Issue Brief
“Physician Payment: Is There a Better Way to Pay?”
The health care system is a constantly changing environment; its payment system should be flexible so that it can adjust to include improved technologies and changes in the delivery system. Much reform is necessary to make the current system sustainable, as it does not currently motivate physicians to provide high quality health care.
