Health & Society

Spring 2010 Intelligent Conversation Series explores health care debate

Thursday, April 22, 2010, By Eileen Jevis

Experts agree that a critical element of any health care reform proposal is a plan to control spiraling health care costs. University College of Syracuse University and Le Moyne College invite citizens to explore “Controlling Health Care Costs” as part of the spring 2010 Intelligent Conversation Series.

The conversation is scheduled for Tuesday, April 27, at 7 p.m. in Grewen Auditorium in Grewen Hall on the Le Moyne campus. Parking is available in Lot C off Springfield Road (see http://www.lemoyne.edu/resources/campusinfo.htm for directions). The event is free and open to the public.

Deborah Freund, distinguished professor of public administration and economics and senior research associate at the Center for Policy Research in SU’s Maxwell School, and James Longo, director of the cardiac unit at Crouse Hospital, will discuss the reasons for high health care costs in the United States and how can they be brought under control.

Freund teaches the SU course “Economics of Health and Health Policy.” Her research interests include cost containment, health maintenance organizations and Medicaid. She previously served as vice chancellor and provost at SU, special advisor to the president on strategic planning at the University of Rochester, vice chancellor for academic affairs and dean of the faculties at Indiana University-Bloomington, and special assistant to the president and vice president of the IU System on Academic Affairs.

Freund earned her doctorate in economics, along with a master’s degree in applied economics and a master’s degree in medical care administration, at the University of Michigan. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in classics from Washington University in St. Louis.

In addition to his work at Crouse Hospital, Longo is the medical director of the Physician Assistant Studies Program at Le Moyne College. He also serves as an adjunct instructor in the program. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and a member of the American College of Physicians, the Onondaga County Medical Society and the New York State Medical Society.

Longo earned his medical degree at SUNY Upstate Medical University and his bachelor’s degree in biology at Le Moyne. He completed both an internal medicine residency and cardiology fellowship at SUNYUpstate.

For more information on the event, call 443-4846.