Older adults and people with disabilities often face systemic barriers to accessing health care and home and community-based services (HCBS). People facing economic hardship are especially affected. Our system is complex, fragmented, and costly—for people who need it and for the government agencies who manage it.
The Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab advances practical state and federal policies to make health care and HCBS more accessible for older adults and people with disabilities.
We do so by working with partners, policymakers, and researchers to:
- Listen to older adults and people with disabilities
- Develop model policies to address their priorities and experiences
- Deliver those policies where they can make positive change
We place a special focus on making health care simpler and more affordable. Our work is nonpartisan, funded entirely by independent philanthropy.
The Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab is housed at the National Academy of Social Insurance and made possible by initial support from The SCAN Foundation (TSF), a philanthropy that envisions a society where all of us can age well with purpose. The lab collaborates with a growing network of partners. For organizations interested in learning more about or supporting this work, please contact info@ADHealthPolicyLab.org.
What are model policies?
Model policies are ready‑to‑use legislative or regulatory options. Our model policies focus on making health care and HCBS more accessible for older adults and people with disabilities. We develop model policies at state and federal levels. Our model policies include:
- Summaries of the model policy
- Model policy legislative or regulatory text
- Expected outcomes of the policy change
- Questions and answers
Our published model policies are just one set of options. We think they are important options. But there may be better ideas, too. We welcome the chance to learn from others, especially people with lived experience. We are happy to discuss ways to adapt our work for different communities and circumstances. If you have feedback on our model policies, please email us at info@ADHealthPolicyLab.org.
Our team
Sarah M. Anderson
Sarah M. Anderson is a health research analyst at the Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab. Sarah has dedicated her career to disability justice and addressing health disparities. She most recently worked in the Office of Health Equity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention where she led work on partnership engagement, accessible communications, and policy analysis and implementation. Her earlier work at CDC Foundation and other non-profits includes advancing vaccine equity, environmental justice, and global mental health. Sarah earned her Master in Public Health from Emory University and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia. Sarah is active in her local community in Atlanta, including serving as the public health research co-lead for Wish for Wash, LLC.
Tim Engelhardt
Tim Engelhardt is the executive director of the Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab. He has spent the last 25 years working to improve health outcomes and community integration for older adults and people with disabilities. Most recently, Tim led the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Prior to federal service, Tim consulted for an array of government and private sector clients at The Lewin Group and served as deputy director for long-term care financing at the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Tim earned his Master of Health Science from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame. He is a native of East Syracuse, New York and lives in Arlington, Virginia.
Kim Glaun
Kim Glaun serves as a consultant and senior advisor for the Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab. For over 25 years, her work has focused on improving access to health care and coverage for older adults and individuals with disabilities. Kim spent more than a decade at the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, where she created regulations and policies aimed at streamlining eligibility and enrollment for the Medicare Savings Programs. Prior to federal service, Kim held positions at several organizations, including the Medicare Rights Center, the National Senior Citizens Law Center (now Justice in Aging), and the Legal Services to the Elderly Program in Baltimore. Kim earned her law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College. She grew up – and now resides – in Baltimore, Maryland.
Sharon Lewis
Sharon Lewis is the policy director for the Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab. Over the past three decades, Sharon has focused on improving the lives of people with disabilities and older adults across multiple program domains. Her recent experience includes 10 years of assisting public agencies and other health and human service clients as a consultant with Health Management Associates. Previously Sharon served as a co-founder and principal deputy of the federal Administration for Community Living, as well as senior committee staff in the US House of Representatives. Prior to her federal service, Sharon did public policy for several disability advocacy organizations. She is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and completed executive education work at the Harvard Kennedy School. Sharon is the proud parent of three wonderful daughters, one of whom experiences significant disabilities; she lives in Portland, Oregon.
Jessica May
Jessica May is a senior policy advisor at the Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab. She previously worked at the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, where she led financing, analytics, and oversight for demonstrations integrating care for individuals eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Prior to federal service, Jessica oversaw program, policy, and budget development for Medicaid, mental health, and aging services for the District of Columbia Executive Office of the Mayor. Earlier in her career she conducted qualitative and quantitative health services research at the Center for Studying Health System Change. Jessica earned her Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University and her Bachelor of Arts from Haverford College. She grew up in Massachusetts and now makes her home in Seattle.
Maiss Mohamed
Maiss Mohamed is a health research analyst at the Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab. She most recently worked at KFF, where she conducted data and policy analyses on Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security policies affecting older adults and people with disabilities. Prior to joining KFF, Maiss worked at Bell Creek Consulting, a social impact consulting firm, where she provided research support to philanthropies seeking to advance economic mobility for individuals with low incomes. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Johns Hopkins University and currently resides in Northern Virginia where she grew up.
Erin Shea
Erin Shea is a senior health research analyst at the Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab. She previously worked in the Office of Policy Analysis and Development at the Administration for Community Living, where her work centered on Medicaid and civil rights policy. Prior to federal service, Erin worked as a policy associate at the Center for Public Representation and as a policy and legal advocacy fellow at the Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. Erin earned a J.D. from the New York University School of Law and a B.A. in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Rhode Island. She is a native of Maryland and currently resides in Silver Spring.