First Fellows session examines cost of care from every angle 

On Feb. 9, our Fellows cohort convened for the program’s first virtual session—a 4-hour discussion on the rising cost of health care.  

Council Fellows heard candid thoughts from three speakers on the U.S. as a world outlier in health care spending, examining the disconnect between spiking costs and declining life expectancy. Topics included the vital importance of regaining consumer/workforce trust, the charge to balance financial viability against the moral responsibility to provide care, innovations in care delivery driving the Medicaid service model, mounting pressure on health care systems to protect margin while preventing provider burnout, and pending clinical/technological developments with the potential to spark a true industry reset.  

Following the presentations, Fellows broke into small groups to unpack new insights through the lens of their assigned patient personas before regrouping to share key takeaways and challenges. The 2024 Fellows program continues this week as our cohort returns to Nashville for a 2-day exploration of the issues impacting Health Equity.