The Bipartisan Policy Center Welcomes Julie Barnes

BPC's Leaders' Project on the State of American Health Care to explore implementation of new health care law

WASHINGTON, July 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is pleased to announce that Julie Barnes has joined its staff as Director of Health Policy.  Barnes will oversee the BPC's Leaders' Project on the State of American Health Care, an effort led by BPC Founders and former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle and Bob Dole.

In June 2009, Senators Baker, Daschle and Dole released their plan for reforming the health care system, Crossing Our Lines: Working Together to Reform the U.S. Health System. The plan included politically-viable policy recommendations to address the delivery, cost, coverage and financing challenges facing the nation's health care system.  Many of the BPC recommendations, such as improving the quality of care, making insurance coverage affordable, modernizing health care administration and reducing health care costs, served as a springboard to the health care debate and were incorporated in the new law.

Building on the BPC's successful effort to develop and advocate for health care reform, the BPC is initiating a new effort to explore the political and implementation challenges that must be overcome to achieve the promise of accessible, affordable, high-quality health care. The BPC will explore select provisions of the new legislation and facilitate discussions with state leaders and key state-based organizations from both parties as they implement the new law. 

"While there may be political disagreement over the final health care reform legislation, the BPC believes that all interests – Democrat and Republican – will benefit from constructive discussions as the law is implemented.  There is still a strong desire for both parties to work together to improve the nation's health care system, and the BPC looks forward to providing a forum for those discussions as the health reform implementation process begins," said BPC President Jason Grumet.  "Julie's expertise will provide the BPC with strong leadership as we pivot toward a new phase of our Leaders' Project on the State of American Health Care."

Barnes comes to the BPC from The New America Foundation where she served as Deputy Director and later as Acting Director of New America's Health Policy Program.  Barnes directed New America's outreach activities, educated industry stakeholders and policymakers about federal health care reform efforts, and facilitated discussions among key players in the debate and identified areas of agreement.  In addition to insurance and delivery system reforms, Ms. Barnes focused on health information technology issues, state reform efforts and legal barriers to health reform.

Previously, Barnes was a litigator and regulatory counsel in the health care practice group of Crowell & Moring's Washington, D.C. office.  In addition to litigating compensation and benefit disputes, her practice included advice and counsel to managed care organizations, self-funded employers, behavioral health organizations, disease management companies and health-related trade associations on state and federal regulatory and litigation matters.  Barnes also worked in the offices of Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Congressman William O. Lipinski (D-IL), as well as for Congressman Jim Nussle's (R-IA) initial and successful campaign for Congress in 1990.

"We look forward to Julie's contributions to our Leaders' Project and furthering Senators Baker, Daschle and Dole's dedication to bipartisan action on health reform as we move into the implementation phase," said David Conover, Senior Vice President at the BPC. "Julie's leadership, insights and experience working as a health care attorney, policy analyst and Capitol Hill staffer will be very valuable to our organization."

About the Bipartisan Policy Center:

In 2007, former U.S. Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell formed the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) to develop and promote solutions that can attract the public support and political momentum to achieve real progress. Currently, the BPC focuses on issues including health care, energy, national and homeland security, transportation, science and economic policy. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/.

SOURCE Bipartisan Policy Center

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