On February 26, the Institute hosted its quarterly “Storytelling through Data” event, co-sponsored by the Salt Lake Tribune. The topic was Utah’s health care coverage landscape. We were joined by MIT professor and MacArthur Genius Grant winner Amy Finkelstein for a lively discussion on health care reform, coverage, and potential future policy solutions.

There are high rates of private health insurance enrollment, low rates of public health insurance program enrollment, and declining uninsured rates in Utah. That said, uninsured rates remain high for some populations, and health care affordability and access are concerns for many Utahns, if not the top concern.

We were joined at the event by an expert panel that discussed the U.S. health insurance system and proposals for change in the context of Utah’s health data, markets, and outcomes. 

We were honored to host Professor Amy Finkelstein. Amy is the John and Jennie S. MacDonald Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is also the Co-Scientific Director of J-PAL North America, a research center at MIT designed to encourage and facilitate randomized evaluations of important domestic policy issues. Other roles include Co-Director of the Public Economics Program at the National Bureau of Economic Research, a member of the Institute of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a Fellow of the Econometric Society. She has received numerous acknowledgments for her work, including the John Bates Clark Medal from the American Economic Association and the MacArthur Fellowship. Her latest book, “We’ve Got You Covered: Rebooting American Health Care”, gives a lively and provocative proposal for health insurance reform.

Amy was joined on stage by David Eccles School of Business Professor Allison Witman and Gardner Institute director of industry research Laura Summers. The panel was moderated by Salt Lake Tribune Executive Editor Lauren Gustus.