Act now to address the shortage of mental health workers
Health care leaders, lawmakers, educators, and individuals must come together to tackle mental health workforce shortages.
Sound the alarm: Our housing crisis is a health crisis
By Bechara Choucair, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Health Officer, Kaiser Permanente A safe stable home is the foundation every person needs to thrive. How can we expect people to maintain or improve their health if their very basic…
When it comes to the mental health workforce crisis, the struggles — and opportunities — are real
The challenges facing the mental health workforce are nothing new, but the urgency to address these challenges is growing. That was made evident during the Institute for Health Policy’s 2017 forum, Advancing Mental Health and Wellness, during which journalist and…
The price Is wrong: Why we need to curb prices on biologics to protect patients
I want to tell you a story about one of my patients — let’s call her Helen. After months of treatment, Helen just wasn’t getting better despite being prescribed a drug that I have used to successfully treat many of…
Delivering high-quality, equitable maternal care: Lessons from the nation’s largest private integrated care delivery organization
Over the past year, National Public Radio has been reporting on the high rates of maternal mortality in the U.S. through a special series called, “Lost Mothers.” I’ve been following along on my commute to work, often distressed by stories…
The heart of the matter: Identifying person-centered solutions at the intersection of the mental health and criminal justice systems
While browsing the aisles of my local supermarket recently, I ran into a friend and former colleague (let’s call him Joseph). I hadn’t seen him in a few years, but he looked noticeably different: a little on edge, his eyes…
A deeper dive: Recommendations for strengthening the FDA’s REMS program to protect patients
Last month, Institute for Health Policy Director Murray Ross shared a post on Kaiser Permanente’s response to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ request for comments on its “Blueprint to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs.”
A call to action: We must strengthen America’s mental health workforce
Now, more than ever, we need an educated and trained workforce to address the mental health and substance use challenges facing Americans, but we are coming up short.
Our thoughts on HHS’s blueprint to lower drug prices: It’s time for a new legal and policy landscape
In May 2018, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requested feedback on its Blueprint to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs. By Murray Ross, PhD, Vice President and Institute for Health Policy Director.
Deconstructing single payer, one dinner party at time
Earlier this summer in California we had our gubernatorial primary where health care, and specifically the issue of single payer, was front and center. By Murray Ross, PhD, Vice President and Institute for Health Policy Director.