Lown Institute

02/19/2026

This week, we kick off "Hot Takes from Health Leaders" - a biweekly blog series featuring candid responses from the policymakers, clinicians, hospital executives, researchers, and advocates. For our first question, we ask our guests: “There’s a lot of criticism about healthcare failing. What’s one place where you feel it’s working?”

Read more @

Introducing Hot Takes from Health Leaders: a biweekly series featuring candid responses from the policymakers, clinicians, hospital executives, researchers, and advocates who will convene at LOWN26: Confronting Healthcare Affordability on May 21st in Cambridge, MA.

02/17/2026

“Like everyone in America, older people with back pain deserve safe, evidence-based care that doesn’t waste taxpayer dollars. Reducing unnecessary procedures, particularly invasive ones that carry grave risks, is a moral imperative,” said Dr. Vikas Saini, president of the Lown Institute.

Find out which hospitals have the worst track records for overusing these "low-value care" procedures.

02/11/2026

Healthcare costs now top the list of everyday expenses Americans are most worried about, according to a recent poll. Seventy-five percent say this is likely to impact how they vote in the coming midterm.

Read more in the Lown Institute blog @ https://lowninstitute.org/healthcare-tops-list-of-expenses-americans-are-most-worried-about/

02/04/2026

LOWN26 - The healthcare affordability crisis isn't a partisan issue, it's a human one. We invite you to attend this one-day conference bringing together young clinicians, hospital leaders, business executives, union organizers, and researchers, all united by one conviction: care shouldn't crush the finances of American families.

Early bird registration is now open @ https://lowninstitute.org/lown26-confronting-healthcare-affordability! If you see yourself as a leader that wants to shape the future rather than wait for it, this is a conference for you

01/28/2026

Everyone agrees that healthcare is too expensive; what industry players can’t agree on is why. There isn’t just one reason behind the unaffordability problem, but understanding some of the key drivers is necessary if we want to fix this crisis. We dig into this issue in our latest blog post.

Understanding the problem is the first step.

01/15/2026

"Although Montefiore, Mount Sinai, and NewYork-Presbyterian are all technically nonprofits...they spend far less on meaningful community benefits, including charity care, than they receive in property tax breaks."

"NewYork-Presbyterian and Mount Sinai are the top two U.S. hospitals by total tax exemption, avoiding an estimated $251 million in federal, state, and local taxes annually, according to the nonpartisan Lown Institute."

Read The Economic Populist full story, "Big Medicine vs. Nurses in New York City" @ https://ow.ly/wTaG50XXsGe

01/14/2026

Don't delay! There's only two days left to submit nominations for the 2026 the Bernard Lown Award for Social Responsibility! The BLASR is given each year to a young clinician who demonstrates bold leadership in social justice, health care reform, environmental justice, global peace, or other humanitarian efforts, and comes with a $25,000 prize.

Send in your nomination by 1/15 @ https://lowninstitute.org/projects/bernard-lown-award-for-social-responsibility/

01/13/2026

Since 2021, we’ve awarded four extraordinary doctors - Reshma Ramachandran, Lilia Cervantes, Altaf Saadi, and Mona Hanna - the honor of the BLASR, supporting their continued efforts to make medicine more socially responsible. Check out the Lown Blog to learn more about what these extraordinary providers have been up to of late.

https://lowninstitute.org/what-these-outstanding-doctors-did-in-2025-a-follow-up-on-our-blasr-winners/

01/12/2026

Our past BLASR winners have been busy!

2022 inaugural winner Dr. Mona Hanna, the founding director of Rx Kids - a Michigan program that provides cash to help expectant mothers cope with bills, expenses and the high cost of taking care of children - is helping expand the program to Detroit and communities across the state. As she notes, this is "a bold public health effort to improve outcomes. When our babies don’t have everything they need, that hurts them. It makes them sick."

Do you know someone like Dr. Hanna who is dedicating their time, skills, and energy to tackle the most important health issues of our time? Then nominate them for the 2026 award!

Don't wait! Nominations close on 1/15! Nominate ://lowninstitute.org/projects/bernard-lown-award-for-social-responsibility/

01/08/2026

Despite the Trump administration’s attempt to downplay affordability as a hoax, an overwhelming majority of Americans agree that healthcare is unaffordable. Squeezed between sky high deductibles and copays and the ever increasing cost of health insurance, there's a broad desire for policymakers to reduce costs. Here are some actions that health policy experts agree are ripe for change.

https://lowninstitute.org/will-2026-be-the-year-healthcare-costs-break-a-broken-system/

With the expiration of enhanced subsidies for ACA plans driving premiums up - and more cuts to public insurance plans on the horizon - how should policymakers respond?

01/06/2026

Less than two weeks remain to submit nominations for the 2026 the Bernard Lown Award for Social Responsibility! A $25,000 cash prize, the BLASR is given each year to a young clinician who's rethinking what's possible and leading with boldness and purpose.

Know someone in your community who's leading the charge to make healthcare more effective, accessible, and just? Then, send in your nomination by Thursday, January 15 @ https://lowninstitute.org/projects/bernard-lown-award-for-social-responsibility/

12/23/2025

We recently revealed the “winners” of the 2025 Shkreli Awards, our 9th annual roast of the most shameless behavior in healthcare but trust us — there are many, many more ways our healthcare system prioritizes profits over patients. That’s why we also share some “Dishonorable Mentions.” These stories fell just shy of making the final list, but are still worth sharing.

Check out rest of the worst rounding out this list @ https://lowninstitute.org/2025-shkreli-awards-dishonorable-mentions/