Addressing Unresolved Issues

A Foundation-funded 2012 study by the Center for Labor Research and Education at the University of California, Berkeley, estimates that up to 4 million Californians will remain uninsured after implementation of health reform in 2014. Foundation President and CEO Peter Long, Ph.D. has spoken at length publicly to discuss these findings, and where we must go from here to ensure access to care for all Californians.

The "Triple Aim," a term coined as the Affordable Care Act was being drafted, refers to the need for the U.S. healthcare system to 1) improve the patient experience, 2) achieve better population health, and 3) reduce the cost of care. Critical to addressing the unresolved issues of health reform is understanding how to meet these goals within a new healthcare landscape. Through work with the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the Foundation is leading national efforts to evaluate progress toward the Triple Aim. This includes convening experts to develop and broadly disseminate a metrics roadmap that underscores a shared approach to achieving the triple aim.

In 2011, the Foundation commissioned a report by economics Professor Jonathan Gruber of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The report identified key steps that state and federal leaders must take in order to make the most of the coverage opportunities provided by health reform. The study highlights important policy decisions that affect the extent of health coverage expansion, and the financial impact on families. Peter Long, Foundation president and CEO, co-authored an article with Professor Gruber on the study’s findings as they relate to California in the January 2011 issue of Health Affairs.

In addition to research on the unresolved issues of health reform, our core operating support continues to give community health centers the flexible support that they need as they strive to provide high-quality health care for Californians who remain uninsured after health reform.