Jay Himmelstein MD MPH

Dr. Himmelstein's professional career in research, health policy strategy, and service is dedicated to improving health care and outcomes for those served by the public sector.He has held numerous leadership positions at the University of Massachusetts Medical School including Assistant Chancellor for Health Policy and founding Director of the Center for Health Policy Research. He has published well over 100 peer-reviewed articles and technical reports, has been the principal investigator on more than 40 grants and contracts from state and federal sources, and is highly regarded as a public speaker. Dr. Himmelstein is currently a Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health and Population and Quantitative Health Sciences and Chief Health Policy Strategist for Commonwealth Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He places special emphasis on improving health outcomes for people with disabilities and those served by the Medicaid program. Dr. Himmelstein’s most recent work has focused on the intersection of health policy and information technology, improving coordination of care and transitioning from fee-for-service to value-based payments in Medicaid programs, and leveraging University partnerships with Medicaid agencies to facilitate health system transformation.An elected member of the National Academy of Social Insurance, Dr. Himmelstein has served as expert consultant to the Social Security Administration and to the Institute of Medicine, and as National Program Director for the Robert Wood Johnson Workers Compensation Health Initiative. He served as a Robert Wood Johnson National Health Policy Fellow on the health staff of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Dr. Himmelstein is board certified in internal medicine and occupational and environmental health/preventive medicine. He received his medical degree from the University of Maryland Medical School, and received Masters degrees in Public Health and Physiology from the Harvard School of Public Health.