Weill Cornell Medicine and the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy have joined forces to establish the Cornell Health Policy Center (CHPC), aiming to shape health policy through evidence-based research and collaboration across campuses. The center, launched Nov. 15 at an event in New York City, will focus on improving health care access, quality, and affordability while addressing social drivers of health disparities.
Beth McGinty, chief of the Division of Health Policy and Economics at Weill Cornell Medicine, and Colleen Barry, founding dean of the Brooks School, will co-lead the center. The initiative seeks to unite experts from multiple disciplines to inform policy at federal, state, and local levels.
“Health policy establishes the framework by which doctors and patients experience health care,” said Dr. Robert A. Harrington, Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine. “The Cornell Health Policy Center will develop effective, evidence-based policies to ensure access to quality, comprehensive, and affordable care—a task more important now than ever.”
Research Driving Policy Change
The CHPC is already leveraging its collaborative approach. Tyler Braun, an assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, and Brooks School researchers are investigating how insurer acquisitions of physician practices influence costs. Their findings suggest these acquisitions increase Medicare Advantage costs by raising patients’ risk scores, which are tied to federal payments.
In another project, Weill Cornell’s Angelica Meinhofer and Brooks School’s Maria Fitzpatrick are analyzing the impact of expanded Medicaid coverage for school-based health services. Their research shows that the policy led to a substantial increase in care delivery, benefiting low-income children. “This policy holds promise for addressing complex health needs,” Meinhofer said.
Enhancing Collaboration and Policy Engagement
The CHPC aims to foster further collaborations and connect research to policymaking. Planned initiatives include legislative briefings, forums for journalists, and symposia for policymakers and health care leaders. “We are building a model of collaboration to harness tremendous research and bring it to policymaking processes,” McGinty said.
Barry emphasized the center’s potential to influence health policy innovation. “By creating a multi-campus nexus, we can advance team science and share data to improve health policy in New York and beyond,” she said.
Leadership and Structure
The CHPC will be led by a multidisciplinary team, including:
- Amelia Bond (Weill Cornell) and Sean Nicholson (Brooks School): Health care financing and organization.
- Dr. Dhruv Khullar (Weill Cornell) and Jeff Niederdeppe (Brooks School): Health policy communication.
- Will Schpero (Weill Cornell) and Maria Fitzpatrick (Brooks School): Social drivers of health.
- Kayla Tormohlen (Weill Cornell): Research director.
The center is also recruiting a policy director to lead health impact and engagement initiatives.
As the CHPC grows, it aims to serve as a hub for transformative health policy, driving meaningful change for patients and health systems across the nation.
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