Representative Henry Waxman to be honored <br> for his health policy leadership at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research's 20th anniversary gala
Waxman, AltaMed, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network to receive the Center's Health Policy Impact Awards for contributions to policy, community, advocacy
Representative Henry A. Waxman of California, the Democratic lawmaker whose 40 years in the House produced some of the most important legislation of the era, including the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, will accept a Health Policy Impact Award from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (the Center) on Tuesday, Oct. 7, in Los Angeles.
Purchase tickets here.
The award will be given at a gala celebrating the Center's 20th anniversary as one of the nation's leading health policy research organizations.
Waxman will be presented with the Center's highest award, its Impact Award for Policy. In addition, the CEOs of AltaMed, one of the nation's leading community health centers, and the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN) will accept Impact Awards for their respective contributions to community health and to advocacy on behalf of the underserved.
"Representative Waxman has been a tireless champion of Americans without insurance or access to quality care," said Gerald Kominski, director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. "His legacy includes the millions of Americans who gained health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, a historic law whose passage he passionately fought for and ultimately achieved."
The Center will honor AltaMed and its founder, president and CEO Cástulo de la Rocha, with its Impact Award for Community Service in recognition of the organization's leading role in providing care to the uninsured and underserved.
"Cástulo is a recognized leader in eliminating health disparities," said Kominski. "And AltaMed will play a critical role in the years ahead by extending the umbrella of care to the undocumented and others not covered by health care reform."
Sarah de Guia, executive director of the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, a multicultural statewide advocacy organization that works to improve the health of communities of color, will accept the Center's third award, the Impact Award for Advocacy.
"CPEHN has done more than perhaps any other organization to put the health concerns of underserved groups on the policy table," said Kominski. "They have been leaders in tearing down the cultural, language and other barriers that separate many Californians from quality care."
Dr. Peter Long, the president and CEO of the Blue Shield of California Foundation, will emcee the gala event, which will also be the official launch of the E. Richard Brown Health Policy Impact Fund. Named in honor of the Center’s late founding director, one of California's foremost health policy advocates, the fund will support the Center's ability to rapidly respond to unfunded but urgent requests from lawmakers and others for data and analysis.
"Whether it's immigration reform or gay marriage or health care reform, policymakers, the media, and others rely on the Center to provide them with timely data and information," said Kominski. "This fund ensures the Center can respond fully and effectively to breaking news events."
The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research’s
20th Anniversary Gala and Impact Award Where: UCLA Covel Commons, 330 De Neve Dr., Los Angeles, Calif. 90095 Time: 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Purchase tickets here. Media who wish to cover the event should contact: Gwen Driscoll, director of communications, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, gdriscoll@ucla.edu or 310-794-0930.
About the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR) is one of the nation’s leading health policy research centers and the premier source of health policy information for California. UCLA CHPR improves the public’s health through high quality, objective, and evidence-based research and data that informs effective policymaking. UCLA CHPR is the home of the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) and is part of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. For more information, visit healthpolicy.ucla.edu.
