Media Tap Heller Faculty on Historic Massachusetts Health Care Bill

National outlets seek out Heller School Dean and Assistant Professor for views, comments

WALTHAM, MA   April 12, 2006 -- National media outlets have sought out Heller School Dean Stuart Altman, a nationally recognized expert on health care policy, and assistant professor Michael Doonan, to discuss the Massachusetts health care reform bill passed April 4th. The groundbreaking legislation would require universal health care coverage in the Bay state, and is the subject of intense interest in other states.

Prof. Stuart Altman
Heller School Dean

Following the bill’s passage, Altman was quoted in the New York Times’ lead story on the bill. "It is not a typical Massachusetts-Taxachusetts, oh, just crazy liberal plan," Dean Altman said in the article April 5. "It isn’t that at all. It is a pretty moderate approach and that’s what’s impressive about it. It tried to borrow and blend a lot of different pieces."

Altman’s remarks were also selected by the Times as "Quote of the Day" for April 5th and in the Sunday Times on April 9th as one of the top quotes of the previous week.

Altman was also interviewed on the CBS Evening News about the bill, appeared as a guest on CNBC’s Kudlow and Company, and was quoted on National Public Radio’s Marketplace. He also appeared as a featured guest on CNN on Saturday, April 8th and was a guest on CNBC's Closing Bell on April 12th.

Dr. Michael Doonan
Assistant Professor

Michael Doonan, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Policy Forum at The Heller School, appeared on CNBC April 5th, to discuss the bill. He was also a guest on Bloomberg Radio that afternoon. Doonan’s non-partisan research group has been following the legislative process closely and will hold events as well as commission research to assist with its implementation.

Professor Doonan said of the bill, "The Massachusetts health reform plan is the most progressive in the country. It will significantly reduce the number of uninsured in the state. It does this through combining proposals supported by the left and the right. Many of the details still need to be worked out…Nevertheless, Massachusetts serves as a beacon of hope for other states and the Federal government that serious action can be taken to reduce the nearly 50 million uninsured Americans."