The 32nd Annual Princeton Conference opened on November 5 with a keynote by Dr. John McDonough of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who shared findings from his forthcoming book, America’s Wrong Turn: U.S. Healthcare in the Neoliberal Era. Sessions throughout the weekend examined key challenges in U.S. health care, including affordability, public health infrastructure, Medicare and Medicaid, employer-sponsored insurance, and the future of care delivery.
IHS News
Remembering Stuart Altman.
Professor Stuart H. Altman passed away on January 1st, 2026. A formal memorial event will be announced in the coming weeks.
Since 1977, Professor Altman championed Heller and Brandeis in roles including Executive Co-Director of the Schneider Institutes and Sol C. Chaikin Professor of National Health Policy. He was a nationally recognized policy leader and a mentor to hundreds of students. The Stuart Altman Chair in Health Policy and an endowed fellowship will help celebrate his legacy.
Massachusetts Health Policy Forum convenes at UMass Amherst to discuss "Impacts of Medicaid Cuts on Western Massachusetts."
On October 28th, IHS researchers joined local and state policymakers and advocates at UMass Amherst to unpack the effects of drastic recent federal changes to Medicaid on communities in Western Massachusetts.
Undergraduate Researchers Drive Policy Insights Through Atkins Heller Fellowship.
As part of the 2025 Atkins Fellows Program, Schneider Co-Director Karen Donelan and Associate Research Professor Rajan Sonik welcomed undergraduate researchers to participate in projects that engaged them in multiple aspects of the research process. Under Dr. Donelan’s guidance, Toby Lipson ’26 contributed to the Supporting Practices in Respecting Elders pilot study by administering surveys and analyzing data on family caregiver well-being. As part of Dr. Sonik’s team, Sydney Duncan ’25 examined state social policy changes during the COVID-19 pandemic to isolate the health effects of changes in SNAP benefits.
