The Center for Policy and Research is the strategic thinking branch of America's Health Insurance Plans. Its mission is to advance ideas, research, and policy solutions to help Americans build a 21st Century health system. Through in-depth and thought-provoking research on the interrelated issues of health care quality, cost and access, and insurance markets, the Center hopes to stimulate dialogue and develop a workable health policy agenda. The Center's website, www.ahipresearch.org, is a repository on valuable information on health insurance.

Launched to the public in March 2005, the Center is headed by Jeff Lemieux, Senior Vice President for AHIP. Lemieux's research interests include overall health spending and costs, competitive systems in Medicare, long-term projections of national and federal health expenditures, budget and revenue estimates, tax credit proposals, small group markets, long-term care insurance, and improvements in care for patients with chronic illnesses.

Ellen Bayer is the Center's Director for Special Projects. Ellen is in charge of many of the Center's qualitative research projects, and is the project manager for the AHIP's "Innovations" series of reports, which highlight innovative health insurance plan programs to improve health care quality and efficiency. Her current research includes disease management and chronic care initiatives, as well as consumer-directed health care.

Teresa Chovan, Director of Surveys, is responsible for in-depth surveys of AHIP's membership, as well as other quantitative research projects. Teresa's current research projects include internal survey data on Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and the demographics of Medicare supplemental coverage using the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. She is also conducting research on Medigap coverage and individual health coverage.

Scott Keefer is the Center's Director of Policy Development. His mission is to help policymakers and AHIP members develop innovative, market-based proposals to improve and expand health insurance coverage. Before accepting this position with the Center, Scott was Legislative Director for Rep. Harold Ford Jr.

Hannah Yoo is a Policy Analyst for the Center. Hannah is currently working on surveys of AHIP's membership, and is largely responsible for the development of the www.ahipresearch.org website.

Karen Heath is a Policy Analyst with the Center. Her current research project topics include Medigap, Medicare Advantage and the Individual Market.

Christelle Jang is a Policy Analyst with the Center. Her current research project topics include Medicare Advantage and Disease Management.

Kelly Buck is a Policy Analyst with the Center. Her current research focuses on grassroots efforts, customer services, and claims denials, as well as health information technology and quality issues.