ANN ARBOR—The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to announce its decision this month on President Obama’s health care reform law. University of Michigan experts from various disciplines are available to speak to the media about aspects of health care reform and insurance.

For comments on how the ruling might affect the U-M Health System, which includes U-M’s hospitals, health centers and physician group, and has been a leader in Accountable Care Organization formation under the ACA, call UMHS Public Relations at (734) 764-2220.

HEALTH POLICY

Tom Buchmueller, the Waldo O. Hildebrand Professor of Risk Management and Insurance at the Ross School of Business, is an expert on the economics of health insurance and related public policy issues. His recent work has examined the relationship between employer-sponsored insurance and labor market outcomes, interactions between the public sector and private insurance markets, and consumer demand for health insurance. He can be reached at (734) 764-5933 or [email protected].

A. Mark Fendrick, M.D., professor in the department of Internal Medicine and Health Management and Policy and co-director of the U-M Center for Value-Based Insurance Design, is an authority on the clinical and economic assessment of medical interventions, with special attention to how technological innovation influences clinical practice, benefit design, and health care systems. Fendrick serves on the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee. He can be reached at (734) 647-9688 or [email protected].

Richard Hirth, professor and associate chair of the Department of Health Management and Policy at the U-M School of Public Health, can discuss how the bill may or may not function with or without the mandate. Hirth’s expertise is the general economics of health insurance, and he’s also a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine. He may be reached at [email protected].

Peter Jacobson, the director for the Center for Law, Ethics and Health at the U-M School of Public Health, can discuss any of the legal or policy implications of the health reform case. Jacobson, an attorney, is a professor of health management and policy. His research focuses on the relationship between law and health care delivery, law and public health systems, public health ethics, and health care safety net services. He can be reached at [email protected].

Kathleen Potempa, professor and dean of the U-M School of Nursing, can discuss how the bill supports population health and advances access to care. Potempa is a nationally known expert on health care workforce issues, and consults with organizations such as the National Institutes of Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She can be reached at (734) 764-7185 or [email protected].

David Spahlinger, M.D., senior associate dean for Clinical Affairs and executive director of the Faculty Group Practice at the U-M Medical School, can address the potential impact on academic medical centers, hospitals and physician practice groups. He is a leader in the development of the national Accountable Care Organization framework and of U-M’s own ACO. The U-M Health System, through its Faculty Group Practice under his leadership, took part in a Medicare demonstration project that was the forerunner of the ACO program that seeks to contain Medicare cost growth and improve patient care under ACA. Spahlinger can be reached at (734) 764-2220 or [email protected].

Marianne Udow-Phillips, lecturer at the U-M School of Public Health and director of the Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation, a nonprofit partnership between the U-M Health System and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, can discuss public and private health insurance markets and coverage. Her expertise is in health care access, coverage, quality and efficiency issues. She can be reached at (734) 998-7555 or [email protected].

LAW

Samuel Bagenstos, professor at the U-M Law School, specializes in civil rights law, public law and litigation. He remains an active appellate and Supreme Court litigator in civil rights and federalism cases. He can be reached at (734) 647-7584 or [email protected].

Nicholas Bagley, assistant professor at the U-M Law School, teaches and writes in the areas of administrative law, regulatory theory, and health law. He can be contacted at (734) 615-7049 or [email protected].
Richard Friedman, the Alene and Allan F. Smith Professor of Law at the U-M Law School, is an expert on evidence and Supreme Court history. He can be reached at (734) 647-1078 or [email protected]

Jill Horwitz, professor at the U-M Law School and professor of health policy and management at the U-M School of Public Health and Ford School of Public Policy, has scholarly interests in health law and policy, nonprofit law and policy, torts, and empirical law and economics. She is available at (734) 763-9501 or [email protected].

POLITICAL

Vincent Hutchings, associate professor at the U-M Institute for Social Research’s Center for Political Studies, is an expert in elections, public opinion, voting behavior and African American politics. He can be reached at (734) 764-6591 or [email protected].

Michael Traugott, professor of communication studies and senior research scientist at the Institute for Social Research’s Center for Political Studies, is an authority on political communication, public opinion, media polling and campaign surveys. He can be reached at (734) 647-0421 or [email protected].