Recess Matters

A well-organized and active recess may be the key to a better school day, according to a new evaluation of the RWJF-supported program Playworks.

A well-organized and active recess may be the key to a better school day, according to a new evaluation of the RWJF-supported program Playworks.

View the evaluation
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Transforming Recess

"Playworks gets results. I’ve seen it firsthand, and a growing body of evidence now shows that, when it comes to changing schools for the better, recess and play may be one of the most powerful and underutilized tools we have."

—Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, RWJF president and CEO

Read her full commentary

Teachers in @Playworks schools spend 34% fewer minutes moving from recess to learning. #recesscounts

All Over the Landscape

Newly released federal data shows pricing for common inpatient procedures varies greatly, and allows consumers to see how hospital charges in their area compare nationally and regionally for the same procedure.

Learn more about hospital price data

Sharing the Data

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
plans a data visualization challenge which will further the dissemination of the CMS data to larger audiences.

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Risa Lavizzo-Mourey

Shining a Light on Hospital Charges

"Transformation of the health care delivery system cannot occur without greater price transparency. While more work lies ahead, the release of these hospital price data will allow us to shine a light on the often vast variations in hospital charges."

—Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, RWJF President and CEO

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Tackling the Cost Conundrum

Is the slowing growth of health care expenditures temporary or lasting? New RWJF-supported research answers the question, explores cost drivers, and presents ideas for making Medicare sustainable.

Read four new Health Affairs articles
3.1%

Health care spending growth rate 2009-2011 vs. 7.4% 1980-2009 #HA_Costs

Mike Painter at Health Affairs Cost Conundrum Briefing

Gathering Steam

"We are beginning to reach consensus about how to control health care costs in both the public and private sectors, and we need to continue this momentum so that all Americans can get the quality health care they need.”

—Michael W. Painter, RWJF Senior Program Officer

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    Featured

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    Employee Health Is Employers' Business

    Why? Because employers finance the lion’s share of the nation’s health care costs. In a post on the social networking site LinkedIn, RWJF President and CEO Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, says investing in wellness is one of the smartest business decisions a firm can make.

    Read Risa's LinkedIn post
    Susan Dentzer

    RWJF Senior Health Policy Adviser Susan Dentzer: Let's Reform Health Payments!

    Four RWJF-supported analyses on health care costs outline strategies for achieving a sustainable rate of spending, while also bolstering the quality of care. In her first post for the Foundation's Culture of Health blog, RWJF Senior Health Policy Adviser Susan Dentzer says the reports provide an important starting point for the next round of serious health care reforms.

    Read the blog post

    Preventing the Onset of Severe Mental Illness

    The Early Detection, Intervention and Prevention of Psychosis in Adolescents and Young Adults (EDIPPP) initiative has gathered evidence to show the value of engaging communities toward preventing severe mental illness in young people. Hear about one young woman's journey.

    Learn more about the initiative

    See more videos

    Tax Revenues

    Capping Tax Exemption for Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Could Raise Billions

    New analysis conducted by the Urban Institute with funding from RWJF shows that a cap on the federal tax exemption for employer-sponsored health insurance would affect only a small portion of taxpayers while raising billions to offset the budget deficit.

    Read the report

    Health Policy

    Controlling Medicaid Spending: Are Per Capita Caps the Answer?

    A new policy brief from Health Affairs and RWJF examines the feasibility of per capita caps, the history of the proposal, and its prospects in the future.

    Read more