April 3, 2013 - In invited testimony before the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Sara Collins testified that the program has been a critical bridge to 2014, but its limitations demonstrate why high-risk pools are an inadequate substitute for the comprehensive insurance market reforms and expanded health insurance options to go into effect under the Affordable Care Act next January.
Testimony
February 27, 2013 - In invited testimony before the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging, Commonwealth Fund president David Blumenthal made the case for comprehensive payment and delivery system changes that produce lower costs and better value not just in Medicare, but across the entire U.S. health system.
Testimony
October 2, 2012 - In invited testimony before the House of Representatives Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, Commonwealth Fund president Karen Davis discussed two approaches to sustaining Medicare, the vital public insurance program for seniors and disabled Americans.
Testimony
October 27, 2011 - In invited testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Health Care, the Fund's Sara Collins discussed the importance of the Affordable Care Act's premium tax credits and other insurance affordability provisions that will ensure the health and financial security of working families.
Testimony
July 13, 2011 - In invited testimony before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, the Fund's Stuart Guterman discussed how the Independent Payment Advisory Board, created under the Affordable Care Act, can help focus attention on controlling health care spending throughout the health system.
Testimony
June 21, 2011 - In invited testimony before the Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, the Fund's Mary Jane Koren made several federal-level recommendations that would strengthen the programs that help frail older adults maintain their independence and well-being.
Testimony
May 12, 2011 - In invited testimony before the health subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee, the Fund's Stuart Guterman called for new payment models that will pay physicians appropriately while also improving care for beneficiaries and adding value to the Medicare program.
Testimony
January 13, 2011 - In testimony before the Federal Advisory Board on the Affordable Care Act's CO-OP Program, The Commonwealth Fund's Sara Collins said that the new health plans hold promise to provide efficient, high-quality care that responds to consumers' needs.
Testimony
March 18, 2010 - In testimony before the Massachusetts Commissioner of the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy on March 18, 2010, Commonwealth Fund Executive Vice President for Programs Stephen Schoenbaum discussed ways in which health care organizations can create frameworks for high performance.
Testimony
October 15, 2009 - In testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Energy and Commerce on October 15, 2009, Commonwealth Fund vice president Sara R. Collins discussed the growing number of Americans with such high out-of-pocket costs relative to their income that are effectively underinsured.
Testimony
October 1, 2009 - In invited testimony before the Senate Special Committee on Aging on September 30, Commonwealth Fund senior vice president Cathy Schoen described some of the innovative policies enacted by other nations to improve performance, enhance value, and harness markets and competition in the public interest. Schoen says the U.S. can learn a lot from their experiences.
Testimony
September 15, 2009 - The high cost of health care in the United States--higher than anywhere else in the world and rising faster than our gross domestic product--is taking its toll on families, employers, and government. In this presentation at a U.S. House of Representatives Steering and Policy Committee forum, Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis discusses the likely impact of proposed health reforms and suggests further policy changes for consideration.
Testimony
September 11, 2009 - This morning, the U.S. Bureau of the Census released the alarming news that the number of uninsured Americans hit 46.3 million in 2008, up from 45.7 million in 2007. In this testimony before the U.S. House of Representative's Joint Economic Committee, Commonwealth Fund president Karen Davis highlights the good and bad news in the new data and how it underscorces the need for health reform.
Testimony
April 28, 2009 - In invited testimony before the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics on April 29, 2009, Steve Schoenbaum, M.D., Ph.D., outlines the strategies recommended by the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System.
Testimony
April 23, 2009 - Young adults are disproportionately represented among people who lack health insurance, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the 45 million uninsured people under age 65, even though they comprise just 15 percent of the population.
Testimony