Cecilia Oregón, MPP, MPH
Executive Director,
Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy
A message from our leader
The last 3 years have been a time of unprecedented challenge and change in health care, as we made our way through the pandemic, and now begin the process of exiting the Public Health Emergency. We’re now learning how to live coming out of the worst years of COVID-19, while confronting a changing economy, and a shifting political landscape.
Some of the changes our health care system made during the pandemic have proven beneficial, and now is the time to evaluate which changes — including new public policies — we keep in the years ahead. This time of transition makes the Kaiser Permanente Institute of Health Policy’s work more important than ever as we leverage our experience as the nation’s largest integrated care system alongside evidence from the experts to shape policy and practice.
Connecting and collaborating
Over the past year, our virtual forums gathered leading experts to examine housing policy, mental health, and digital health equity and made recommendations about the best public policy paths looking forward, especially those paths that could best foster health equity.
Amplifying our voice
Meanwhile, the Institute was grateful to partner with some of the best researchers and experts in the nation, and arguably the world to improve everything from coverage, to care delivery, to mental health, to prescription drug value, and digital health equity.
Harvard’s Program on Regulation, Therapeutics and Law (PORTAL) completed groundbreaking work examining prescription drug value and safety.
Initiative for Medicines Access & Knowledge (I-MAK) thoroughly examined the problem of over-patenting drugs.
With our support, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing brought together diverse stakeholders to discuss one of the most pressing health care issues that stood out during the pandemic – mental health.
Beyond our partners, our own Institute staff were at the forefront, sharing new insights and ideas in publications and venues ranging from Health Affairs to the American Public Health Association annual conference.
Murray Ross, PhD
Vice President
Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy and Government Relations
Looking ahead
2023 is off to a strong start with our continued focus on mental health, health equity, prescription drug value, and the health care workforce. It will also be a year of continued transition as we anticipate the coming retirement of a leader whose name is synonymous with the Institute for Health Policy: Murray Ross. Murray has been at the helm of IHP in one role or another for over 20 years now. His deep policy expertise, including his health economics bona fides, have been a steady presence in Capitol Hill policy circles, across the nation, and abroad.
We’re deeply grateful for Murray’s leadership, mentorship, and collegiality all these years, and for all of you who have shared your time and expertise with us over the past year. As I step into Murray’s very big shoes as IHP’s leader, I look forward to seeing many of you throughout 2023 and beyond as we continue this important work together.
Cecilia Oregón, MPP, MPH
Executive Director
Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy
By the numbers
2492
Event video views
3
Widely attended events
700+
Total day-of
event attendees
33K
Website visitors
36
Publications
1K
Twitter followers
2K
Newsletter subscribers
15
Kaiser Permanente grants or sponsorships supporting non-partisan health policy research and education