June 8, 2009
A group of 150 USC alumni and prominent Trojans gathered at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., on May 21 to hear a panel of experts assess the early accomplishments of the Obama administration and offer their prognosis for its future.
April 28, 2009
The San Francisco Chronicle quoted Professor Glenn Melnick about America's preparedness for a potential swine flu outbreak. "There's been a lot more planning, so we're better prepared than we've ever been," said Melnick, holder of the Blue Cross of California Chair in Health Care Finance. "We haven't really seen the budget cuts hit yet," he added. "Next year, we might have a problem." In case of a pandemic, health care workers have been trained to report to work, he added. "There's been a lot more planning and training within health care organizations so people understand the risks and they don't panic unnecessarily and they will report for work."
April 23, 2009
The The Riverside Press-Enterprise quoted Professor Glenn Melnick about hospitals' dependence on Medicare reimbursements. On average, about 55 percent of a hospital's revenue comes from federal reimbursements, Melnick said. A hospital that loses Medicare funding is also likely to lose private insurance contracts, the other main source of hospital revenue, the story noted. "That is usually a death knell for a hospital," he said.
April 17, 2009
The St. Petersburg Times highlighted a presentation that Professor Glenn Melnick delivered at the Association of Health Care Journalists conference in Seattle. Total United States health spending in 2007 was $2.24 trillion, Melnick noted.
March 25, 2009
Foundations and Public Policy: Leveraging Philanthropic Dollars, Knowledge and Networks for Greater Impact, a new book edited and co-authored by USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development faculty, explores the implications -- and potential impact -- involving the efforts of nonprofit organizations to shape public policy.
March 6, 2009
La Opinion quoted Professor Glenn Melnick about Los Angeles' Pacific Hospital reportedly seeking bankruptcy protection. If the hospital closes, 80 percent of patients who receive care under public assistance programs like MediCal would have to move elsewhere in the San Fernando Valley for services, Melnick said.
January 26, 2009
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development marked its 80th anniversary by hosting a special colloquium Jan. 16 at the Davidson Conference Center. During the conference, Dean Jack H. Knott noted that SPPD remains dedicated to advancing academic theory and making a vital impact in the world.
January 25, 2009
The Monterey County Herald quoted Professor Glenn Melnick about the fiscal state of a medical center in Salinas, Calif. It's unclear whether the hospital can continue its newfound financial viability or is doomed to slip back into critical condition, the story stated. "The question is, 'Are they going to find themselves in the same situation five years from now,'" Melnick said. Melnick is director of the Center for Health Policy and Management at USC, the story noted.
September 8, 2008
Research led by SPPD Professor Howard Greenwald was featured in a United Press International story. Greenwald and colleagues found evidence that sexual enjoyment involves more than hormones, the story reported. The scientists conducted their research on cervical cancer survivors who had had both ovaries removed. The study found that after six years, most survivors' sexual desire and enjoyment rebounds, the story noted.
July 30,2008
A Los Angeles Times column cited an op-ed by Robert Tranquada, professor emeritus of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development and the Keck School of Medicine. Los Angeles County has lost 12 hospital-based emergency rooms in the last decade, and 11 of 23 trauma centers have closed in the last 20 years, Tranquada wrote. Capacity for emergency medical care has been shrinking, and the recent earthquake should be a wake-up call for many who are not prepared.
June 22, 2008
Research by SPPD Prof. Glenn Melnick of the was cited in the Waco Tribune-Herald regarding the effect of health care company mergers on health care costs. Following recent mergers in California, prices have generally risen 10 percent to 30 percent, sometimes within months, Melnick said. Melnick is a health economist for the RAND Corporation, the story noted.
March 23, 2009