Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research
CAHPR in the Media
Our experts are available for interviews and media appearances.
CAHPR in the Media
Our experts are available for interviews and media appearances.
Recent Media Coverage
News from SPH
A revolutionary approach to healthcare pricing
Since the 1980s, the U.S. has experimented with various forms of managed health care. But none of them has managed to control costs or improve health outcomes, argues Senior Fellow Hayden Rooke-Ley. The radical new idea from CAHPR researchers for delivering lower health care costs is actually quite old-fashioned: a return to fee-for-service.
The Wall Street Journal
Lawmakers Seek to Close VA Loophole That Funnels Billions to Private Medicare Insurers
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation to stop Medicare Advantage insurers from collecting billions in federal payments for veterans who primarily receive care through the VA. Sparked by a Wall Street Journal investigation—supported by data from Brown University researchers—the bill aims to close a loophole that enabled an estimated $44 billion in excess payments from 2018 to 2021.
FTC study supports scrutiny of physician mergers, economists say
This article reports on a FTC study highlighting how roll-up acquisitions of physician practices—often led by private equity firms—can harm competition, raise prices, and reduce care quality. The study calls for increased scrutiny of serial acquisitions that fall below federal reporting thresholds, and experts say it could lead to stronger antitrust enforcement in healthcare markets.
Doctors and nurses at Madison primary care center want a union. It’s a sign of health care changes.
This article discusses how financial pressures, staffing shortages, and management decisions at Wisconsin’s Group Health Cooperative have led to a unionization effort by primary care providers, reflecting broader national challenges facing independent primary care.
States push hospital price caps to rein in spending
Several states are adopting hospital price caps to curb rising healthcare costs, citing limited success from other reforms. Supporters see savings, while hospitals warn of revenue loss and service cuts. See what CAHPR's Roslyn Murray, PhD has to say.
Yashaswini Singh Named 2025 Aspen Ideas Health Fellow
Nominated by Arnold Ventures, Dr. Singh joined over 100 global fellows in Colorado in June 2025 to explore how market forces are reshaping health care at this year’s “Payoff: Investing in Health” conference by the Aspen Institute.
Community Focus: Brown University’s Andrew Ryan
This news video features Dr. Andrew Ryan, Director of CAHPR, discussing his study on Rhode Island’s hospital affordability standards, which led to significant hospital price and premium reductions—saving $1,000 per fully insured member by 2022.
Hospital price growth cap helped lower insurance premiums, Brown study shows
This article reports on a study by CAHPR researchers that found that Rhode Island’s 2010 hospital price growth cap significantly reduced hospital prices and lowered premiums for fully insured health plans by $1,000 per member annually by 2022. However, the policy had limited impact on the self-insured market due to federal ERISA regulations, and the resulting hospital revenue losses have raised concerns about financial sustainability and care quality.
Market Power
Professors Erin Fuse Brown and Yashaswini Singh warn that private equity’s focus on short-term returns is reshaping healthcare at the expense of patients and providers. From overburdened hospitals to ethical dilemmas in mental health care, their insights expose how profit-driven ownership can undermine clinical priorities and public trust.
Home health care workers are demanding better pay. Cuts to Medicaid could stand in their way.
The article discusses how home health care workers in Rhode Island are fighting for better wages and working conditions through unionization, but their efforts are at risk due to proposed federal Medicaid cuts. David J. Meyers, a health economist at Brown University, warns that such cuts could have a “massive, qualitative impact on people’s lives” and ultimately increase health care spending as unmet needs at home lead to more hospitalizations and emergency visits.
Brown University policy expert talks about the future of telehealth flexibilities
The article discusses Dr. Ateev Mehrotra, chair of the Brown SPH Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, and his concerns that ongoing temporary telehealth policies are stifling innovation and investment, as he urges permanent federal solutions to ensure long-term access and growth.
Bill would limit hospital fees in Nevada’s public employee health system
A Nevada bill aims to cap hospital fees for the Public Employees’ Benefits Program to reduce costs, drawing on Oregon's model, which researcher Roslyn Murray of Brown University studied and found led to significant savings without shifting costs to private insurers.
Quarter 3: 2024 Media Coverage
Hospital Payment Caps: ‘Band Aid’ or Promising Cost-Control Solution?
This article explores the study done by Brown researchers on the imapct of Oregon's hospital payment cap and how other US states have an opportunity to implement similar control measures to achieve health savings.
The Rise Of Health Care Consolidation And What To Do About It
CAHPR researchers examine the economic and healthcare implications of consolidation within the U.S. healthcare system while proposing legislative solutions aimed at curbing the adverse effects of consolidation.
The FTC's Noncompete Rule: Legal Challenges And Potential Solutions For Physician Markets
The FTC's nationwide ban on non-compete agreements, originally set to take effect on September 4, 2024, is now entangled in legal battles that challenge the agency's authority. This article explores the ongoing debates, highlighting the loopholes in the current rule, and prescribes potential policy solutions.
Medicare Advantage plans got ‘alarming’ break from the U.S. government a decade ago: Here’s why
A decade ago, CMS tried to rein in Medicare Advantage overbilling, only to withdraw amid industry pressure, now fueling a $2 billion fraud case against UnitedHealth. Newly released court documents expose the struggle to protect taxpayer dollars while navigating powerful industry pushback.
Are Changes To The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Driving Value In US Health Care?
The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is a cornerstone of U.S. healthcare policy, directly influencing how services are priced and covered. This Health Affairs blog delves into a brief analysis of the CY25 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Changes and what impact it could have moving forward.
Price transparency is critical to fix nation’s health care model, Brown scholar tells Congress
Christopher Whaley, testified before Congress, highlighting the urgent need of health care price transparency and its role in combating high healthcare costs in the US and enhancing policy decision-making.
How Payment Caps Can Reduce Hospital Prices and Spending: Lessons from the Oregon State Employee Plan
This issue brief provides key lessons for other states interested in hospital payment caps. These include setting caps above Medicare rates but below typical state plan prices to maintain provider participation, exempting small and rural hospitals to protect vulnerable facilities, and legislating payment caps to ensure long-term stability. Oregon’s approach offers valuable insights for states seeking to control health care spending while ensuring access to care.
Quarter 2: 2024 Media Coverage
Medicare payment parity key to saving independent physicians, Dr. Ashish Jha tells Congress
Dr. Ashish K. Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, addressed the House Committee on Ways and Means on why the U.S. is seeing a decline in private medical practices and what we can do about it.
What's Driving Healthcare Consolidation? The Answer May Surprise You
Healthcare consolidation is fueled by the need for pricing power and financial stability under value-based care, but experts warn this trend threatens competition and transparency, calling for stronger oversight and legislative action.
Private equity escapes FTC in court, but anesthesia group doesn’t
The PE firm, Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe has been released from the ongoing case against U.S. Anesthesia Partners, for monopolization in Texas. What does this mean for PE firms and antitrust scrutiny?
Is Private Equity Ruining Health Care? It's Complicated
Is private equity good AND bad? Listen to experts including Dr. Yashaswini Singh talk about private equity with a nuanced approach.
State Treasurer Folwell Releases Report Finding North Carolina 340B Hospitals Overcharged State Employees for Cancer Drugs, Reaped Thousands of Dollars in Profits Per Claim
State Treasurer Folwell's recent report with insights from Christopher Whaley unveils startling findings: North Carolina's 340B hospitals have been overcharging the state, shedding light on critical financial discrepancies in healthcare funding.
‘Very, very unusual.’ Is Valley Children’s taking more than it’s giving back?
This article featuring Chris Whaley delves into whether the Valley Children's Hospital's actions align with its mission and the nonprofit ethos it claims to uphold.
FTC poised to shake up health care
Erin Fuse Brown weighs in on the potential impact of the FTC's new rules against noncompete agreements, analyzing how this significant shift could empower healthcare workers and reshape the dynamics of the industry.
Big corporations are quietly taking over your medical practice. Some doctors and experts say it's ruining healthcare.
Amidst a silent surge of corporate takeovers in healthcare, Yashaswini Singh offers crucial insights into how these acquisitions are quietly transforming patient care and escalating costs, often beyond the public eye.
Hospital care costs are out of control. Price caps can help
This article discusses Oregon's successful experiment in implementing price caps on hospital services, saving $107.5 million in two years, suggesting a viable solution for states battling soaring healthcare costs.
Quarter 1: 2024 Media Coverage
2025 Medicare Advantage Advance Notice: Small Changes, Missed Opportunities
Under the CMS 2025 Medicare Advantage Advance Notice, CAHPR researchers emphasize the expected revenue increases and minor changes in risk adjustment practices; highlighting the impactful changes on the horizon and the critical reforms that still await attention.
Congress Has The Opportunity To Deliver Health Care Price Transparency
Health care price transparency has seen growing support from policy makers and the US public alike. This article delves into the measures Congress has implemented to enhance transparency around health care costs and explores avenues for enhancing existing laws.
Hospital payment cap slashes prices in Ore.
Rev Cycle Management, an information avenue for revenue cycle management writes on the Health Affairs study led by Brown researchers on the impact of hospital payment caps in Oregon and the health savings achieved for the state.
Oregon lawmakers could limit corporate ownership of medical practices
Oregon bill, HB 4130, aims to impose some of the strictest limits on corporate ownership of primary care and specialty clinics, targeting the influence of large companies and private equity firms.
Attack of the Straw Doctors
This article looks at how private equity firms are increasingly employing "straw doctors" to circumvent restrictions on corporate ownership of medical practices -- threatening the quality of patient care and the integrity of the medical profession.
Opinion | Private equity firms are gnawing away at U.S. health care
Ashish Jha casts a critical eye on the influence of private equity in healthcare, illuminating how these acquisitions not only escalate costs but also fundamentally reshape the quality and accessibility of medical care.
Older Americans say they feel trapped in Medicare Advantage plans
Read this NPR article or listen to the All Things Considered NPR broadcast featuring Dr. David Meyers where he talks about the difficulties a beneficiary can face when enrolled in Medicare Advantage.
2022 Media Coverage
The Pros and Cons of Medicare Advantage
Explore Medicare Advantage and how it compares to Traditional Medicare.
Which to Choose: Medicare or Medicare Advantage?
David Meyers, a health services researcher at Brown University, and his colleagues have been tracking differences between original Medicare and Medicare Advantage for years, using data from millions of people.
General Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the news articles do not reflect those of Brown University.