Challenges and Opportunities: The Future of California Healthcare

A Virtual Public Discussion Panel hosted by Members of the Academy

Thursday, April 22nd, 2021

Although the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) has improved health care delivery, unfortunately many Californians still do not have accessible, equitable, affordable, or quality health coverage. The challenges to improving healthcare are significant, however, there are opportunities to improve the current system. To discuss some of the key issues and paths forward, the UC Berkeley Emeriti Academy invited 3 speakers to share with us some of the most critical issues facing California Healthcare Policy. Topics included:

California Healthcare Today: How Healthy Are We?
Access, Affordability, and Equity: How recent changes in law are positioned to impact people with mental health and illness issues.
How Much Does California Spend on Healthcare and What Can We Do About It?

Discussion among the panelists, and audience participation followed each speaker.

Video recording of the panel discussion: The Future of California Healthcare.

Moderator: Dr. Robin Flagg

Dr. Robin Flagg has over 25 years of experience in health policy development and advocacy. She has worked with numerous organizations including the California Association of Public Hospitals, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in the US Department of Health and Human Services, and Kaiser Permanente. Additionally, Dr. Flagg was the Director of Health Policy at the California Medical Association. Dr. Flagg’s research interests include state policy making and health care politics with a focus on Medicaid expansion. Dr. Flagg is a lecturer in the UC Berkeley, School of Public Health and San Francisco State University.

Moderator: Kenneth Polse, Professor Emeritus, UC Berkeley

Ken Polse, Professor Emeritus, UC Berkeley

Kenneth A. Polse is Professor of the Graduate School in the UC Berkeley School of Optometry. He is actively involved with the UC Emeriti Health Insurance Committee, serves as UCB Emeriti Association Treasurer, and member of the Retirement Center Advisory Board. He is teaching an undergraduate seminar in Health Care Policy, mentoring students as a Professor of the Academy in the UC Berkeley Emeriti Academy. Prior to retiring, Professor Polse served on the UC Berkeley School of Optometry as Faculty Member, Clinic Director, and Associate Dean. His NIH funded research focused on cornea and contact lenses, methodological and laboratory strategies for non-invasive in vivo assessment of human corneal function. Some of Dr. Polse’s honors included, UC Berkeley Sarver Endowed Chair, Member, National Advisory Eye Council (NIH); and Senior Fulbright Fellow. After retirement, Dr. Polse was elected to the UC Berkeley Optometry Hall of Fame.

Professor Polse retired from the Berkeley Optometry and Vision Science faculty in 2005, but remains active. He is currently a Professor of the Graduate School at UC Berkeley, and Director of the Berkeley Clinical Scientist Development Program (BCSDP), an important clinical training program funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) featuring novel and exciting opportunities for intensive training in clinical patient-based research.

Speaker Professor Stephen Shortell, UC Berkeley

Presentation: California Health Care Today: How Healthy Are We?

Stephen M. Shortell, Ph.D., M.P.H, MBA is the Blue Cross of California Distinguished Professor of Health Policy and Management Emeritus, Dean Emeritus, and Professor of the Graduate School at the School of Public Health and Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley where he is the Founding Director of the Center for Healthcare Organizational and Innovation Research (CHOIR) http://choir.berkeley.edu and Co-Director of the Center for Lean Engagement and Research (CLEAR) in healthcare. He was recently elected to the Modern Healthcare Hall of Fame.

Speaker Mayor Darrell Steinberg, City of Sacramento, California

Presentation: Access, Affordability, and Equity: How recent changes in law are positioned to impact people with mental health.

Mayor Darrell Steinberg is the current Mayor of the City of Sacramento California. He is the Founder of the Steinberg Institute and former President Pro Tempore of the CA State Senate. He is a powerful and effective advocate for mental health care policy in California. He has a long history of championing policy issues affecting brain health, and has gained the respect and trust of providers, decision-makers, business leaders and advocacy organizations across the state and nation. www.Steinberginstitute.org

Speaker Professor Richard Scheffler, UC Berkeley

Presentation: How Much Does California Spend on Healthcare and What Does it Buy?

Richard Scheffler is a UC Berkeley Professor in the Graduate Schools of Public Health and the Goldman School of Public Policy. He is the Director of the Nicholas C. Petris Center on Health Care Markets and Consumer Welfare. In 2019, he was appointed by Governor Newsom to the Healthy California Commission. Dr. Scheffler has received the Berkeley Citation, one of the highest honors awarded by UC Berkeley.

Emeriti Academy Panel Organizing Committee:

Professors Philip Cowan, Michael Harris, Kenneth Polse, Steven Segal, & Stephen Shortell