Health Affairs Launches New Council on Health Care Spending and Value With Support From the National Pharmaceutical Council and Anthem

As a next step in its efforts to continually advance the increasingly important conversation around health care spending, Health Affairs has announced the launch of a new Council on Health Care Spending and Value with support from the National Pharmaceutical Council and Anthem, Inc. The Council will take a nonpartisan, evidence-based approach to understanding what the U.S. spends on health care, the benefits we receive in return, and the steps we can take to maximize our nation’s investment in health. As a means to examine the different drivers of health care spending, the Council will explore topics such as: advancements in medical technology and biopharmaceuticals; population aging; rising prevalence of chronic disease; end-of-life care practices; administrative costs; wasteful or ineffective care; provider consolidation; and many others.

The Council will be an integral part of Health Affairs’ “Considering Health Spending” initiative, which also includes a featured series in both the Health Affairs journal and blog. Over the course of three years, the Council will advance its agenda through a call to action, convenings of thought leaders, and publications. The Council will be led by two distinguished co-chairs: Dr. William Frist, former Majority Leader of the United States Senate, and Dr. Margaret Hamburg, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. To learn more about the launch of the Council on Health Care Spending and Value, read the announcement from Health Affairs editor-in-chief Alan Weil.