Session #1: Health Care Coverage in the United States

As chief health care officer, Jonathan B. Jaffery, MD, MS, MMM, FACP, leads the AAMC’s efforts to improve health care access, quality, equity, and affordability and to advance clinical leadership and effectiveness. In this role, Dr. Jaffery works closely with constituents from AAMC-member institutions, federal agencies, and partnering organizations with a mission to enable teaching health systems and hospitals to provide access to high-value, high-quality patient care; sustain their academic missions; and remain financially stable. Before joining the AAMC, Dr. Jaffery served as chief population health officer at UW Health, the integrated health system of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW), and as president of the UW Health Accountable Care Organization, where he provided strategic leadership for UW Health’s transformation toward value-based care. He was also on the faculty of the Division of Nephrology in the Department of Medicine at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. His work ensured that the institution provided patients with access to high-quality, affordable, equitable care — contributing to the health of the community and improving the lives of at-risk populations. Dr. Jaffery previously served as the chief medical officer for the state of Wisconsin’s Medicaid program. As a 2010-11 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellow, he worked for the Senate Committee on Finance on a variety of issues related to delivery system and payment reform. Since 2018, Jonathan has served as a commissioner on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). A board-certified nephrologist, Dr. Jaffery is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Association for Physician Leadership and the American Society of Nephrology, and he is a fellow of the American College of Physicians. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and his medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and he completed his residency and fellowship at the University of Vermont Medical Center. He earned graduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business.

Rhett Buttle, MPP, is the founder of Public Private Strategies (PPS). PPS creates opportunities where the public and private sectors meet bringing together diverse allies including foundations, associations, corporations, small businesses, and entrepreneurs to solve pressing societal challenges. By harnessing the power of the private sector, PPS build coalitions, activate campaigns, and create strategic partnerships to drive desired policy and market outcomes. Rhett is also a Senior Fellow at The Aspen Institute. In his role at Aspen, Rhett focuses his efforts on advancing the innovative Reconnecting Work and Wealth Initiative – a cutting edge effort at the Aspen Institute that engages several of the Institute’s largest policy programs and their stakeholder networks in an ambitious re-visioning of the ways that 21st Century labor and financial markets can deliver inclusive growth and shared prosperity. Before founding Public Private Strategies, Rhett was the Business Engagement Director at Hillary for America serving as Secretary Clinton’s liaison and private sector advisor during her run for President. Before joining the campaign, Rhett was President & Managing Director of a national business advocacy organization where he led an organization of over 25 people actively doing policy and advocacy work both nationally and in 10 states across the country. In 2014, Rhett was appointed by President Obama to The White House Business Council and served as the Director of Private Sector Engagement in the Office of the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In this role, he was the main liaison between the department and the business community. He is an expert on healthcare policy issues as it relates to the employer community. He worked on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, public private partnerships for the Ebola response & the President’s Precision Medicine Initiative. He was a key player in the Administration’s effort to transform the healthcare system to one that is more focused on value and patient centered care. Buttle has also served in the Office of the President at George Washington University, in the Office of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and has worked on several presidential, state, and local campaigns. Rhett frequently engages with the media and has been featured in the New York Times, CNN, WSJ and several business publications. He has spoken on business issues at the Aspen Institute, the Harvard Institute of Politics, and the Center for American Progress. He also serves on the boards of several organizations. Rhett holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of San Diego and a master’s degree from The George Washington University. In addition, he is active in many volunteer & professional organizations including American Legion Boys State. Rhett was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV. In 2016, he was honored by the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce as their Business Advocate of the Year.

Loren Adler is a fellow and associate director at the Center on Health Policy. He is currently a member of the Advisory Committee on Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing, established by the No Surprises Act, and serves as an associate editor of the Health Affairs Scholar journal. His research focuses on a range of topics in health care economics and policy, including private equity and payer acquisitions of physician practices, provider consolidation, surprise billing, Medicare Advantage, and prescription drug pricing. Previously, Mr. Adler served as research director for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and as a senior policy analyst for the Bipartisan Policy Center. Adler received his bachelor’s degree in mathematical economics from Wesleyan University and his M.S. in applied economics from Johns Hopkins University.

Robin Rudowitz is vice president at KFF and director of the Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured, where she oversees all work on Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and low-income populations including coverage, eligibility, financing, delivery systems, access and long-term services and supports. Prior to joining KFF in 2004, Rudowitz was a senior manager at the Lewin Group, a health policy and management consulting firm. Rudowitz has worked on budget and health policy issues in various government agencies, including the Office of Legislation at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer for the District of Columbia, the Congressional Budget Office and the Ways and Means Committee for the New York State Assembly. Rudowitz holds a bachelor’s degree in policy analysis and a master’s degree in public administration from Cornell University.