Vanderbilt Institute of Public Policy Studies Center for Health Policy

Former U.S. assistant secretary to discuss Medicaid reform Nov. 9th at Vanderbilt - get details here!

James F. Blumstein's involvement with the Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies predates the organization itself. He was director of VIPPS's predecessor, the Urban and Regional Development Center, in the 1970s, and he recommended and secured funding for the creation of the Institute. He chaired the committee that recruited the first VIPPS director, and he has remained active through the years as a senior fellow.

Now, Blumstein, a law professor, expands his role at VIPPS as the new Director of the Center for Health Policy, a position formerly held by health economist Frank A. Sloan.

Faculty and Staff Listing

Research in Progress

The center's research priorities will mirror Blumsten's own, at least for the time being, including a major effort funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to examine the legal environment in which the health care industry is changing: whether the legal structure is impeding or facilitating the evolution of the health care marketplace. Blumstein and Sloan are also teaming up on an evaluation and analysis of TennCare, Tennessee's medicaid experiment. That project is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through the Alpha Center.

Another area of emphasis is the annual seminar on health care regulation and medical malpractice primarily for state supreme court justices. Blumstein also plans to inventory faculty resources and interests. The center will be used as a vehicle to assess the strengths across schools and departments in the health policy area and to help provide an intellectual home for people who want to do health policy work and coordinate research across disciplines.

Blumstein also plans to help VIPPS capitalize on Nashville's role as leader in the medical field by bringing the best thinking in health policy issues to the Vanderbilt community and the health care community from the perspectives of both purchasers and providers.

Mailing Address: Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies, 1207 18th Ave South, Nashville, TN 37212.

Phone: (615) 322-0045
Fax: (615) 322-8081

VIPPS Home Page Center for Child and Family Policy Center for Evaluation Research and Methodology Center for Psychotherapy Research and Policy Center for State and Local Policy Center for U.S.-Japan Studies and Cooperation