Commentary from RAND Health Care Researchers

Illegal Drugs
Opioids and a Crisis of Unintended Consequences
Feb 20, 2019
The reformulation of OxyContin in 2010 made it more difficult to abuse, but has been linked to an increase in Hepatitis C infections. As policymakers consider additional approaches to curb opioid abuse, they should be mindful that any strategy may have unintended consequences, and be prepared to respond.
Bioethics
Ethics of Germline Editing Must Keep Up with Technology
Jan 10, 2019
Scientists have conducted DNA modifications since the early 1970s, yet mainstream interest in genome editing is now surging. If this research is to go forward, the science should be well understood by those conducting the research. Best practices and the highest scientific standards should be employed to limit risks and prevent unintended consequences.
Community-Based Health Care
Faith-Based Organizations Promote Well-Being in Underserved Communities
Jan 4, 2019
Kathryn Derose, a senior policy researcher and an Episcopal deacon, works with Latino and African-American churches to address health issues in their communities. Her research has shown the power of the pulpit to fight health disparities, counter stigma, and encourage healthy living.
Tobacco and Smoking
Vaping May Have Its Place, Just Not With Teens
Dec 17, 2018
While e-cigarettes may be a “safer” option for adult smokers, they are not safe for young people. Teens who vape are significantly more likely to start smoking traditional cigarettes in the future.
Mental Health and Illness
Is Los Angeles County Successfully Creating a Youth Movement Around Mental Health Issues?
Dec 6, 2018
A new community engagement campaign called WhyWeRise seeks to increase awareness of mental health access as a civil rights issue and increase civic engagement. The campaign reached its target audience—people aged 14 to 24—and showed signs of changing attitudes toward mental illness.
Marijuana
Navigating Cannabis Legalization 2.0
Dec 4, 2018
As the next round of states debate marijuana legalization, they would do well to contemplate allowing state governments to control the wholesale prices and linking the price of cannabis to its potency.
Health Insurance Cost Sharing
Medicare for All: Sounds Good, but What Does It Mean?
Nov 19, 2018
Traditional Medicare is popular and therefore can lend a good brand name to coverage expansion proposals, but its limits can be significant for some patients. Those proposing and evaluating “Medicare for All” proposals should consider whether and how these limits are addressed.
Veterans Health Care
How Private Health Care Providers Could Better Serve Veterans
Nov 7, 2018
Almost a third of U.S. veterans live 40 miles or more from the nearest VA medical center, so the VA is trying to make it easier for them to use private providers closer to home. But it will take significant efforts to better prepare civilian doctors to deliver high-quality care to veterans.
Nurses and Nursing
On Nurse Staffing Ballot Measure, Massachusetts Voters Should Look to Evidence from California
Nov 2, 2018
Massachusetts residents will soon vote on the Patient Safety Act, a mandate to increase nurse-to-patient ratios in acute care facilities. Evaluating existing data on the impact of a similar nurse staffing law implemented in California in 2004 may help inform voters as they head to the polls.
Affordable Care Act
All Health Policy Is Local: The Case of the Individual Mandate Penalty in New York
Oct 30, 2018
As with many Affordable Care Act policies, how New York is dealing with the absence of the individual mandate penalty is a potent reminder that all health policy is local.
Health Care Payment Approaches
Misconceptions About 'Medicare for All'
Oct 27, 2018
Medicare for All is a talking point for both major U.S. political parties. Would it be free? Would people have to switch doctors? Would waits be long? Misconceptions abound about single-payer proposals and their likely effects. Here are the facts.
Health Care Costs
Committed to Improving Health Care Policy: Q&A with Jodi Liu
Oct 23, 2018
Jodi Liu, an associate policy researcher at RAND, studies how to deliver high-quality care and how to pay for it. She discusses her assessment of a single-payer health care proposal in New York State and the supply-and-demand challenges that might arise if an Alzheimer's treatment became available.
Immigration Legislation
A Threat to Immigrant Health Care with Potential Consequences for All
Oct 12, 2018
The proposed changes to the “public charge” rule could jeopardize decades of progress towards improved health care access and health for immigrants and U.S. citizens. Negative effects may include worse health outcomes, increased use of emergency rooms, and increased prevalence of communicable diseases.
Substance Abuse Treatment
In Opioid Policy, One Size Does Not Fit All
Oct 12, 2018
To solve America's opioid crisis, policymakers will need to view the epidemic as an “ecosystem,” where policies that target only one part of the problem can have unintended consequences.
Electronic Medical Records
How Smartphone Apps Could Help Keep Health Records Accurate
Oct 4, 2018
Electronic health records have helped streamline record keeping but providers aren't always able to reliably pull together records for the same patient from different hospitals, clinics, and doctor's offices. The growing use of smartphones offers a promising opportunity to improve record matching.
Diet and Eating Habits
A New Way to Reduce Sugary Beverage Consumption
Oct 1, 2018
Where items are placed and promoted in stores is the most important predictor of what people buy. If stores restricted sugary beverages to a single out-of-the-way area, people who really wanted to buy them could, but would have to intentionally seek them out. Others might be less likely to buy a sweetened drink on impulse.
Underage Substance Use
How Marijuana Ads Affect Youth: Q&A with Elizabeth D'Amico
Aug 21, 2018
RAND's Elizabeth D'Amico discusses her research on how medical marijuana advertising influences adolescents' use of—and positive attitudes toward—the drug. Los Angeles County used her findings to limit the placement of marijuana billboards and signage outside dispensaries.
Health Insurance Mandates
Understanding the Impact of the Elimination of the Individual Mandate Penalty
Aug 10, 2018
Starting in 2019, the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate penalty will be eliminated, effectively ending the law's requirement that most people have health insurance. While declines in coverage and increases in premiums are likely, the magnitudes of these effects are highly uncertain.
Sexual Behavior
Public Health Reasons to Tune Into TV's 'Dear White People'
Aug 10, 2018
The Netflix series Dear White People shows how sexual decisionmaking can be influenced by race, status, and the power dynamics within a relationship. Public health programs and policies could be better tailored to account for this complexity.
Health Care Payment Approaches
Potential Benefits for Most New Yorkers but No Free Lunch: Tough Decisions for Single-Payer Health Care in New York
Aug 6, 2018
A single-payer plan in New York would shift health care spending to the state instead of private insurers. As with any far-reaching legislation, there are trade-offs. It's important that policymakers consider the impact of the single-payer plan in totality.

Browse all Health and Health Care Commentary

Commentary from RAND Health Care Researchers

Opioids and a Crisis of Unintended Consequences

Ethics of Germline Editing Must Keep Up with Technology

Faith-Based Organizations Promote Well-Being in Underserved Communities

Vaping May Have Its Place, Just Not With Teens

Is Los Angeles County Successfully Creating a Youth Movement Around Mental Health Issues?

Navigating Cannabis Legalization 2.0

Medicare for All: Sounds Good, but What Does It Mean?

How Private Health Care Providers Could Better Serve Veterans

On Nurse Staffing Ballot Measure, Massachusetts Voters Should Look to Evidence from California

All Health Policy Is Local: The Case of the Individual Mandate Penalty in New York

Misconceptions About 'Medicare for All'

Committed to Improving Health Care Policy: Q&A with Jodi Liu

A Threat to Immigrant Health Care with Potential Consequences for All

In Opioid Policy, One Size Does Not Fit All

How Smartphone Apps Could Help Keep Health Records Accurate

A New Way to Reduce Sugary Beverage Consumption

How Marijuana Ads Affect Youth: Q&A with Elizabeth D'Amico

Understanding the Impact of the Elimination of the Individual Mandate Penalty

Public Health Reasons to Tune Into TV's 'Dear White People'

Potential Benefits for Most New Yorkers but No Free Lunch: Tough Decisions for Single-Payer Health Care in New York

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