The American health care system is in crisis. To create a sustainable health system for all we must: cover all Americans, reduce cost growth, and enhance quality. These problems can only be addressed through a bold, integrated approach supported by strong leadership.

What We Do
The Health Policy Program at New America Foundation works to advance and protect a fact-based health reform dialogue. Bringing together economic, legal, communications, and legislative experience, the Health Policy Program interprets and responds to health policy news in real time, facilitates conversations between policymakers and stakeholders, and publishes policy papers on health care system problems and possible solutions.  Health Policy Program experts testify before Congress, speak publicly before national audiences, and serve as valuable resources for the media.  In addition, the Health Policy Program produces a daily health reform discussion on the New Health Dialogue blog and coordinates the efforts of Health CEOs for Health Reform.

The Economic Case for Reform
The cost of failing to fix our broken health system is greater than the cost of reform. Health care cost growth is one of the most pressing economic challenges facing our nation. We must reform our health system - not despite our financial crisis, but precisely because of the impact it has on the U.S. economy.

Rising health care costs:

• Leave many Americans simply unable to afford health insurance and necessary health care
• Threaten the competitiveness of U.S. businesses
• Put unsustainable pressure on federal and state budgets

The U.S. economy lost more than $207 billion in 2007 because of the poor health and shorter lifespan of the uninsured. This is more than enough to cover the 46 million uninsured.

In addition, more and more Americans find health coverage unaffordable. Even those with insurance are struggling to afford coverage that protects their health and financial needs. Health insurance will cost half of American families more than one-third of their household income by 2016 if we do not act. These cost-to-income trajectories are not sustainable.

The Moral Case for Reform
The Institute of Medicine estimates that at least 18,000 Americans die every year because they lack access to the care that health insurance affords. Too many people are financially vulnerable because of health care costs. Meanwhile, many Americans cannot start a new business or career because they fear being unable to secure health insurance in the future. We are failing to provide a social contract that meets the needs of our citizens. Our nation must do better.

Cover all Americans
The private insurance market must be modernized to make it efficient and equitable for all. This will require a partnership between federal and state governments and individuals.

Three reforms will create an insurance market that encourages competition based on clinical value and customer satisfaction rather than risk selection:

• Changing insurance market rules to enable consumers to buy coverage regardless of their health history
• Offering subsidies to make a comprehensive insurance package affordable to everyone
• Requiring all Americans to purchase coverage to balance the risk pool and prevent free riders

Control Cost and Improve Quality
Our system must deliver value to be sustainable over time. We can control cost growth and enhance quality through a three-pronged approach:

• Establish an electronic health information system to streamline health care delivery, increase transparency, and use data to create decision support tools
• Produce more information about what treatments work and do not work in our health system
• Create incentives for patients and providers to make high-value diagnostic and treatment choices

Financial Support

The Health Policy Program is supported by the following foundations:

Blue Shield of CA Foundation
California Wellness Foundation
Colorado Health Foundation
The Colorado Trust
Commonwealth Fund
Nathan Cummings Foundation
Smith Richardson Foundation
Stoneman Family Foundation
Wal-Mart Foundation

The Importance of Bipartisan Leadership
Bipartisan leadership will ensure health reform sustainability. The need for strong leadership extends beyond Congress and the Administration to business, labor, and health system stakeholders and the American people. If this leadership is to thrive, we must protect a fact-based policy discussion from damaging rhetoric.

Health Policy Program Projects and Resources

Health CEOs for Health Reform. A diverse coalition of health care leaders who share a unique willingness to transform their business models to create a more sustainable health system. Founding members include: Billings Clinic, Blue Shield of California, Catholic Healthcare West, Denver Health, Merck & Co., Inc., and the Virginia Mason Medical Center.

New Health Dialogue blog. Our daily blog focuses on the intersection of health policy and politics. Specifically, the blog creates a timely dialogue related to the health care cost, coverage, and quality.

State of State Health. Interactive data resource featuring state-specific maps and information on the status and future of health care in America. Find out how your state is doing, where it is going, and the real cost of failing to fix our broken health system.