Don't expect big report from Health Care Workforce Commission

March 2, 2011 — You mention in your article about the health care workforce that the [National Health Care Workforce] Commission created by the Affordable Care Act would report soon. The Commission received no appropriations and, as an independent commission cannot receive funds from other sources (HHS, foundations). Thus, no work can be done to support any report. The Commission will meet its Congressional mandate with a brief report.

— Thomas Ricketts (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)

The author is a member of the National Health Care Workforce Commission, and is a professor of health policy and management at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.