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Heller Dean Stuart Altman ranks 46th
by Kira Glassman
News | 9/18/07
Posted online at 2:26 AM EST on 9/18/07
Stuart Altman, dean of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, was named one of the 100 "most powerful people in health care" for the fourth year in a row by Modern Healthcare Magazine last month. He ranked 46th on the list.
Altman was a senior member of the Clinton-Gore Health Policy Transition Team and an adviser to the president, Congress and other senior government officials over his 36-year career in healthcare policy.
Others on the list include Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, Bill Gates and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
During an interview in his spacious Heller office, Altman said America is at a critical juncture in trying to turn around its health care problems in.
"There are just certain periods in our history when we have a chance to do something," Altman said. "I think Clinton had a chance, and I think he squandered it by coming up with too complicated a plan and wasting too much time. I think we're reaching that point where we have an opportunity again."
Health care reform, Altman said, needs to accomplish three goals: Reform should assure everyone is covered, control costs and improve quality.
"We have almost 16 percent, or 47 million Americans, with no health insurance, and that's deplorable," Altman said. "And about eight million of them are children."
Altman, who also chairs the Council on Health Care Economics and Policy, a nonpartisan think tank, first became involved in health care during the 1960s while studying a nationwide nursing shortage.
"[My studies] led me in a circuitous route to getting involved in the broader issues of healthcare, and I managed, as luck would have it, to get important government jobs early on in my career," he said.
Altman admits to being somewhat skeptical about whether true health care reform can ever be accomplished in this country.
"Everyone is involved and there are a lot of pressure points all over the place," Altman said. "On the other hand, the problems are getting worse. We just found out that the number of uninsured in this country is growing, we have more children without insurance and healthcare costs continue to grow."
Altman sees hope, however, in the Brandeis students he has taught for the past 10 years. Enrollment in his course, "American Health Care," is bursting at 140 students.
"[Teaching] is phenomenally satisfying," Altman said. "I find that [Brandeis students] are enthusiastic and committed, many of them to trying to help with social issues. … I look to the Brandeis graduates and undergraduates to solve the problems that those of us who came before weren't able to solve."
Altman isn't sure, though, if he will take time out from his work to enjoy his placement on this list.
"I celebrate every day," he said laughingly.
Altman was a senior member of the Clinton-Gore Health Policy Transition Team and an adviser to the president, Congress and other senior government officials over his 36-year career in healthcare policy.
Others on the list include Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, Bill Gates and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
During an interview in his spacious Heller office, Altman said America is at a critical juncture in trying to turn around its health care problems in.
"There are just certain periods in our history when we have a chance to do something," Altman said. "I think Clinton had a chance, and I think he squandered it by coming up with too complicated a plan and wasting too much time. I think we're reaching that point where we have an opportunity again."
Health care reform, Altman said, needs to accomplish three goals: Reform should assure everyone is covered, control costs and improve quality.
"We have almost 16 percent, or 47 million Americans, with no health insurance, and that's deplorable," Altman said. "And about eight million of them are children."
Altman, who also chairs the Council on Health Care Economics and Policy, a nonpartisan think tank, first became involved in health care during the 1960s while studying a nationwide nursing shortage.
"[My studies] led me in a circuitous route to getting involved in the broader issues of healthcare, and I managed, as luck would have it, to get important government jobs early on in my career," he said.
Altman admits to being somewhat skeptical about whether true health care reform can ever be accomplished in this country.
"Everyone is involved and there are a lot of pressure points all over the place," Altman said. "On the other hand, the problems are getting worse. We just found out that the number of uninsured in this country is growing, we have more children without insurance and healthcare costs continue to grow."
Altman sees hope, however, in the Brandeis students he has taught for the past 10 years. Enrollment in his course, "American Health Care," is bursting at 140 students.
"[Teaching] is phenomenally satisfying," Altman said. "I find that [Brandeis students] are enthusiastic and committed, many of them to trying to help with social issues. … I look to the Brandeis graduates and undergraduates to solve the problems that those of us who came before weren't able to solve."
Altman isn't sure, though, if he will take time out from his work to enjoy his placement on this list.
"I celebrate every day," he said laughingly.
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