About
Dr. Altman is the Sol C. Chaikin Professor of National Health Policy and former Dean of The Heller School for Social Policy & Management at Brandeis University.
Dr. Altman is an economist whose research interests are primarily in the area of federal and state health policy. From 2000-2002 he was Co-Chair for the Legislative Health Care Task Force for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In 1997, he was appointed by President Clinton to the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare.
Dr. Altman was Dean of The Florence Heller Graduate School from 1977 until July 1993 and interim President of Brandeis University from 1990-1991. He served as the Chairman of the congressionally legislated Prospective Payment Assessment Commission for twelve years. ProPac was responsible for advising the U.S. Congress and the Administration on the functioning of the Medicare Diagnostic Related Group (DRG) Hospital Payment System and other system reforms.
Between 1971 and 1976, Dr. Altman was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation/Health at HEW. While serving in that position, he was one of the principal contributors to the development and advancement of the Administration's National Health Insurance proposal.
Dr. Altman is a member of The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and, Chair of the Schneider Institute for Health Policy at The Heller School for Social Policy & Management, Brandeis University. He is currently Chair of the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission which is responsible for assuring that Massachusetts spending for healthcare stay within limits set by its growth in state income.
He has an MA and PhD degree in economics from UCLA.
Research Activities
- The Functioning of the U.S. Healthcare System
Education
- BBA, Economics, City College of New York, 1959
- MA, Economics, University of California, Los Angeles, 1961
- PhD, Economics, University of California, Los Angeles, 1964
