March 10, 2015
From the desk of
SHADAC Director Lynn Blewett
Andy Hyman, a longtime leader at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), passed away on February 25, 2015.
Andy’s Legacy
I am Andy’s legacy.
SHADAC is Andy’s legacy.
Nine million individuals covered under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is Andy’s legacy.
His Vision: Transformational Change
As leader of RWJF’s Coverage Team, Andy had a clear vision that guided his work. While the programs he funded didn’t collaborate as much as he would have liked, we were all committed to the vision: Andy believed in the power of data and information to transform debate, in effective communication to influence policy, and in not accepting the status quo. Andy did not believe in “going with the flow” – he believed in going faster and pushed us all to go faster and work harder to do the right thing.
I know that I was not alone in feeling the momentum of the ACA and the potential for the expansion of health insurance coverage in the U.S. What an exciting time it has been and what an opportunity for Andy and the Coverage Team to be able to fully utilize the Foundation’s investments in health data capacity, in an expert communication team, and in effective advocacy. Andy was our bandleader – and we all beat the drum about the importance of health insurance coverage, the value of coverage for all, and the need for transformational change in our health care system.
His Focus: Reform Driven by Evidence and State Expertise
Andy led key strategic programs at RWJF including:
- MaxEnroll at the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), whose goal was to facilitate and expand enrollment in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
- Quick Strike at the Urban Institute's Health Policy Center, which provided quick turn-around data briefs to answer the policy questions of the week
- My program, SHADAC, the State Health Access Data Assistance Center at the University of Minnesota; Andy supported the development of state data analytics and saw the added benefit of our Midwestern location and outside-the-beltway perspective
- The State Network program at Princeton University that provided states with ready access to needed expertize during the first years of health reform implementation. The program has also provided the opportunity for state leaders to develop their own support group to share war stories and battle scars. With all the benefits of health reform, the state employees working on the front lines have carried a heavy load. And Andy knew this.
A Natural and Charismatic Leader
I wish Andy had done more public speaking. He was a natural. I know he worked on the many messages he gave at the meetings I attended. But his talk always looked off-the-cuff, like it was just something he was thinking right then and there. Andy always had just the right thing to say at the right time. He was able to put the detailed day-to-day work of the states into a broader context and to relay how important this work was to the RWJF, how important it was to the states, and how important and critical it was for the uninsured and to the moral fiber of our nation.
Andy was a leader – he was positive and energetic, with a good sense of humor. At the same time he was focused and intense, with an eye always on a future that could be better. He rallied us all to do our best and to keep working for universal coverage and better access to care for all. And we made ground under Andy’s leadership. We made significant ground!
A Great Friend
Andy has been a terrific friend and colleague. He believed in me and supported me over the years. He respected my perspective and encouraged me to participate in the big leagues of health policy. He made me feel like I had something important to say. He often asked my opinion and argued with me to making it a sharper more refined opinion.
He was a great friend to me!
I have lost a real friend! We have all lost a great colleague and true believer!