Jonathan Jaffery, MD, senior vice president and chief population health officer for UW Health and professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, has been appointed to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), the independent, non-partisan agency tasked with advising Congress on Medicare policies.
Jaffery, who also serves as president and CEO of the UW Health ACO, will serve a three-year term. He is one of 17 MedPAC commissioners.
Created in 1997, MedPAC plays a critical role in Medicare, the national health insurance program for Americans over 65 and for younger patients with particular disabilities and/or diseases. Medicare, which currently covers more than 55 million Americans, is one of three major programs administered by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is the single largest payer for health care in the U.S.
MedPAC advises on a wide range of health issues, including access, quality, and payments to both plans and providers. The advisory group reflects many perspectives – from patients, providers and taxpayers.
Jaffery’s extensive background in patient care, health care financing and delivery, and public policy will inform his service on the commission. A practicing nephrologist, he earned his medical degree at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and completed a residency and fellowship at the University of Vermont. He holds advanced degrees in population health sciences and medical management and was a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow. Jaffery previously served as the Wisconsin state Medicaid Chief Medical Officer.
“I am honored to be chosen for this responsibility,” said Jaffery. “The Medicare program is a central and important piece of our health care infrastructure, and MedPAC’s role is to provide the best advice and direction possible to sustain it at a high level of quality and in a fiscally responsible way that supports both patients and providers.”