Covering Managed Care
A resource guide for reporters and editors

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EDUCATION AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS

Here are some of the more credible groups that produce studies and surveys on health care issues, including managed care.

Alpha Center

1350 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036, (202) 296-1818, fax (202) 296-1825, Web site: www.ac.org. Communications director Carole Lee. Partly funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, it sponsors research and provides analyses of issues concerning managed care, health policy, finance, and insurance markets.

Agency for Health Care Policy and Research

2101 East Jefferson St., Rockville, Md. 20852, (301) 594-6662 (administrator's office), fax (301) 594-2283, Web site: www.ahcpr.gov. Press officer Karen Migdail (301) 594-6120; administrator John Eisenberg. Government agency that is working with private sector research groups to develop clinical evidence that doctors and managed care organizations can turn into their own guidelines for treatment.

Alliance for Health Reform

1900 L St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036, (202) 466-5626, fax (202) 466-6525, Web site: www.allhealth.org. Communications director Bill Erwin; executive vice president Edward Howard. The Alliance, funded by several foundations, was formed in 1991 to hold forums and publish issue briefs on health care topics. Offers journalists a free managed care source guide that highlights key terms, key facts, and readings.

Center for Clinical Quality Evaluation

1140 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036, (202) 833-3043, fax (202) 833-2047, Web site: www.ccqe.com. Executive director Ruth Ann Hadley. Set up thirteen years ago as the research affiliate for the peer review organizations (See also "Trade and Professional Associations"). Conducts programs aimed at improving health-care quality, such as reducing strokes via drug therapy.

Employee Benefit Research Institute

2121 K St. N.W., Washington, D. C. 20037, (202) 659-0670, fax (202) 775-6312, Web site: www.ebri.org. Communications director Danny Devine (202) 775-6308; president Dallas Salisbury. Funded by employers, unions, and employee benefits firms, EBRI has a reputation for solid, reliable research.

Foundation for Accountability

520 SW 6th Ave., Portland, Ore. 97204, (503) 223-2228, fax (503) 223-4336, Web site: www.facct.org. Communications director Doug Davidson; president David Lansky. FACCT is supported mostly by employers interested in evaluating health plans. Organization has developed a method for disseminating basic information about health plans, and how they fare in helping members prevent disease, live with disease, and recover.

Health System Change

600 Maryland Ave. S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024, (202) 484-3475, fax (202) 484-9258, Web site: www.hschange.com. Public affairs director Ann Greiner. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, it analyzes and interprets changes in the health care system. Every two years it surveys consumers, physicians, and employers to assess how easy it is for people to get care as well as the cost of that care.

HMO Research Network

A group of twelve HMOs that have an academic research center as part of their operations. Group exchanges information that supports the research mission of managed care organizations. Contact: Dr. Richard Platt, research director Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, 126 Brookline Ave., Boston, Mass. 02215, (617) 421-6089, fax (617) 859-8112.

InterStudy Publications, Inc.

2901 Metro Dr., Minneapolis, Minn. (800) 844-3351, fax (612) 854-5304, Web site: www.hmodata.com. Marketing director Nancy Lincoln, competitive edge research manager Tammy Lauer. Publishes a three-volume survey of the HMO industry twice a year. Report is pricey -- around $500 -- but some journalists can get free copies. Good source for data on HMO penetration in various markets.

National Coalition on Health Care

555 13th St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004, (202) 637-6830, fax (202) 637-6861, Web site: www.americashealth.org. Communications director Pat Schoeni (202) 637-6830; president Henry Simmons. A group of 100 health plans, unions, employers, consumer groups, and trade associations that disseminates policy studies on health care delivery and medical practice. Has just launched a program to focus attention on high-quality health-care providers.