Session #4: Health Policy Academy Deep Dive: Understanding the Role of the Congressional Budget Office 

Elizabeth Wroe, J.D., is a principal based in Washington, D.C. Liz develops and manages complex, multi-sector alliances, and advises and informs clients on the impact of federal and state health care issues and how to effectively engage with policymakers. She also provides strategic counsel to emerging business, investment, and technology players in the health care sector committed to empowering consumers with new tools to improve health outcomes and reduce costs. Liz most recently served as chief counsel and director of Outreach and Coalitions for Chairman Lamar Alexander of the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labors, and Pensions (HELP). During her time at the committee, Liz served as a senior advisor to Senate Republicans during their effort to reform the Affordable Care Act and led HELP Committee efforts to develop bipartisan legislation to stabilize the individual insurance market, expand the use of state innovation waivers, and give consumers more flexible health plan options. Liz also drafted mental health parity and funding provisions included in the 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255). Liz was previously health policy director for Ranking Member Judd Gregg of the United States Senate Committee on the Budget. In this role, Liz led Committee efforts related to the Affordable Care Act, including conducting budget reconciliation compliance analysis and litigating issues before Senate parliamentarians. Liz developed and drafted policies enacted in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (PL 109-171), FDA Amendments Act of 2007 (PL 110-85), Michelle’s Law (PL 110–381) and the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (PL 111-353). In between her service in the United States Senate, Liz worked in the private sector managing complex policy and advocacy efforts. Liz specializes in private health insurance, Food and Drug Administration-regulated products, fiscal policy, digital health, and biodefense. Liz is also a subject matter expert in Senate rules and procedure; and federal authorizing, budget, appropriations, and rulemaking processes.

Paul B. Masi is the Executive Director of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), a nonpartisan federal commission that advises the U.S. Congress on Medicare payment, quality, and access issues. Prior to his current role at MedPAC, Mr. Masi served as the Unit Chief of the Health Systems and Medicare Cost Estimates Unit at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), where he led an analytic team in producing baseline projections of Medicare spending, estimating the federal budgetary effects of legislation affecting Medicare, and providing technical assistance on legislation under consideration by the Congress. Mr. Masi previously served as MedPAC’s assistant director, a principal analyst at the CBO, and a research associate at The Urban Institute. He earned an M.P.P. from the University of California at Berkeley and a B.A. in Economics from Davidson College.

Aditi Sen is Chief of the Health Policy Studies Unit at the Congressional Budget Office. Previously, she was the Director of Research and Policy at the Health Care Cost Institute and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She also previously held positions on the staffs of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services, the White House Council of Economic Advisers, and the U.S. Agency for International Development. She holds an undergraduate degree from Yale University and PhD in health economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Jeff Holland came to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation in August 2017. As Vice President of Research for the Foundation, he oversees the analyses produced for the public, participates in outside engagement, and manages many of the grants distributed by the organization. Before coming to the Foundation, Jeff worked for 26 years at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). For 18 years, Jeff was Chief of the Projections Unit at CBO, where he oversaw the data compilation, writing, and production of large parts of publications such as The Budget and Economic Outlook and Analysis of the President’s Budget.