FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thu., Nov. 20, 2025
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The Health Policy Lab will advance solutions that support health and independence for low-income older adults and people with disabilities.
National Academy of Social Insurance will house the Health Policy Lab, headed by Tim Engelhardt, former director of CMS’ Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office.
As millions of low-income older adults and people with disabilities struggle to access the care they need, The SCAN Foundation (TSF) is committing nearly $8 million over three years to develop and adopt viable, people-centered policy solutions with active community involvement. TSF will launch an independent, nonpartisan policy lab to collaborate with key stakeholders in developing actionable, model public policies at the state and federal levels to help older adults and individuals with disabilities access care, live independently, and age well.
The Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab will be headquartered at the National Academy of Social Insurance, a longtime authority on America’s health and economic security systems, that works across the ideological spectrum to build a society where economic security, care, and dignity are assured across the lifespan. Tim Engelhardt, former director of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office, will serve as the Health Policy Lab’s inaugural executive director.
“Low-income older adults and people with disabilities experience significant challenges aging well and maintaining independence,” said Sarita A. Mohanty, MD, president and chief executive officer of TSF. “For decades, policymakers have discussed solutions that could make care and support more affordable, but change has been elusive. The Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab will move from talk to action, driven by people’s lived experiences, to shape real, lasting policies that help every person age with dignity and purpose.”
The Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab will draw from stakeholder and expert input, gather community expertise, develop policy options, solicit comments, and ultimately publish model policies. The Health Policy Lab will support the growing ecosystem of organizations advancing the needs of low-income older adults and people with disabilities with unmet care needs, leveraging powerful ideas already developed, and in development, by translating them into actionable model policies.
“This investment is a continuation of The SCAN Foundation’s history of exploring innovative policies to ease the burdens experienced by older adults and people with disabilities as they navigate aging,” said Cheryl Phillips, MD, chair of the TSF board of directors. “The work will cover a broad range of topics, informed and guided by the personal experiences of people directly affected.”
Critically, the Health Policy Lab’s approach will center the voices and expertise of older adults and people with disabilities, ensuring model policies are grounded in their insights and priorities.
“I am honored to be asked to lead the Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab at this critical moment,” said Engelhardt. “We look forward to partnering with the many organizations working toward a simpler, more affordable, and more accessible system of health care and long-term services and supports.”
The National Academy of Social Insurance will help ensure credibility, transparency, and bipartisan engagement in the Health Policy Lab’s work.
“The most successful social protection innovations emerge when developed with a broad group of stakeholders, including those who are most directly impacted,” said Rebecca Vallas, chief executive officer at the Academy. “The Academy’s mission to ensure health and economic security for all is fully aligned with the vision for this new Health Policy Lab. We’re honored to partner with TSF on this extraordinary opportunity to improve how older adults and people with disabilities access care in this country.”
The Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab is developing operational infrastructure, hiring staff, and forming strategies to begin publishing meaningful, concrete, and actionable policy ideas as early as spring 2026
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The SCAN Foundation (TSF) envisions a society where all of us can age well with purpose. We pursue this vision by igniting bold and equitable changes in how older adults age in both home and community. Our grants and impact investments prioritize communities that have been historically marginalized with an emphasis on older people of color, older adults with lower incomes, and older residents in rural communities. Learn more at https://www.TheSCANFoundation.org/.