USC Experts Available On Supreme Court’s Historic Health Care Ruling

Will your care be better or worse? What does the Supreme Court decision mean for how Americans access health insurance and health care costs?

DANA GOLDMAN is director of the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC. Goldman is a nationally-recognized health economist and was recently the subject of a Q&A on health care policy in The New York Times. Among his numerous appointments and accolades, Goldman is a health policy advisor to the Congressional Budget Office. Contact at dpgoldma@healthpolicy.usc.edu, (213) 821-7948 or (443) 621-4231.

JULIE ZISSIMOPOULOS is associate director of the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC, and research associate professor at the USC School of Pharmacy. Her areas of special interest are economics of aging and the family. Her recent projects include studies of medical expenditures at older ages, the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole,” earnings and savings over the lifecycle, and transfers of resources between family members of different generations. She is available to discuss the impact of the decision before the Supreme Court as it relates the elderly. Contact at zissimop@healthpolicy.usc.edu, (213) 821-7947 or (443) 621-4231.

GEOFFREY JOYCE is director of health policy at the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC. Joyce is available to discuss the how striking down or upholding the Affordable Care Act will affect health insurance in the United States and Medicaid expansion. Contact at gjoyce@healthpolicy.usc.edu or (213) 821-7958.

How will the Supreme Court’s decision about the Affordable Care Act affect the health care industry?

NEERAJ SOOD can discuss the implications of the Court’s rulings on Medicaid expansion and how severing the individual mandate could affect insurers. Sood is director of international programs at the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC and associate professor in the USC School of Pharmacy. Contact at nsood@healthpolicy.usc.edu or (213) 821-7949.

JOEL HAY is a professor of pharmaceutical economics and policy with the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC and the USC School of Pharmacy. He is available to discuss problems with health care cost containment and possible reductions in employment. Contact at jhay@healthpolicy.usc.edu or (213) 821-8160.

TOM JACKIEWICZ is Senior Vice President and CEO of USC Health. “The forces of change are already at work in health care. Whether the Supreme Court upholds or repeals the Affordable Care Act, we will continue doing what we are already doing — focusing on quality, service and the cost of care. The state of California is supportive of health care changes, and no matter what happens, I think that California will move ahead with reform.” Jackiewicz may be reached at (858) 349-4491 (cell).

How will the ruling about the Affordable Care Act affect the 2012 presidential election?

DAN SCHNUR is director of the Unruh Institute of Politics at USC. Schnur can discuss the political implications of the ruling and how it might affect President Barack Obama’s chances of reelection. Schnur is a leading political strategist and served as chairman of the California Fair Political Practices Commission and as John McCain’s communications director during the 2000 primary campaign. He can be reached at (415) 254-3266 (cell) or (213) 740-7906.

MICHAEL COUSINEAU is research associate professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “The Affordable Care Act has shortcomings, but is positive in the long run. The Supreme Court decision about the health care reform bill may unfold in four different scenarios: they may leave it as it is, eliminate part of it, repeal the entire law or only take out some portions, which most believe would mean eliminating the requirement that states support Medicaid,” Cousineau said. “Depending on which scenario prevails, there will be some difficult issues to wrestle with. If the law is repealed, it will be a political challenge for the White House. If they throw out parts, but keep some of the bill, it will be more problematic to achieve health care reform, but doesn’t doom the entire bill.” Cousineau may be reached at cousinea@usc.edu or (213) 248-9755 (cell).

What legal precedent does this ruling set?

EDWARD KLEINBARD is professor of law at the USC Gould School of Law and previously served as chief of staff of the U.S. Congress’s Joint Committee on Taxation. He has studied and written extensively on the Affordable Care Act. He may be reached at ekleinbard@law.usc.edu or (213) 740-4582 (office) or (917) 287-4897 (cell).

In addition to the experts listed above, USC faculty are available to discuss the long-term ramifications of the Supreme Court’s historic ruling on the Affordable Care Act:

JEFF MCCOMBS is available to discuss alternatives to the Affordable Care Act, such as the proposed Medicare reform by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan. McCombs, a professor with the Schaeffer Center at USC, worked for the Health Care Financing Administration (before it was renamed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) and is an expert on competitive bidding. Contact atjmccombs@healthpolicy.usc.edu or (213) 821-7941.

MARCO HUESCH is assistant professor at the USC Price School of Public Policy and with the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC. Huesch’s research focuses on solving problems with the health care system. Huesch is available to comment on the individual mandate and the repercussions of the Court’s ruling on preventative services. Contact at mhuesch@healthpolicy.usc.edu or (213) 821-6122.

For a larger list of health policy experts at USC, visit the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC website at https://healthpolicy.usc.edu/expert/

Contact: Suzanne Wu at (213) 740-0252 or suzanne.wu@usc.edu