NORC at the University of Chicago mourns the loss of Gail R. Wilensky, Ph.D., a distinguished member of our Board of Trustees since 2005 and a renowned health economist and policy expert. Her career spanned decades of public service, and she brought invaluable expertise and insight to our organization. 

As a senior fellow at Project HOPE, Gail dedicated her work to analyzing and improving health care systems. Her expertise in Medicare, Medicaid, and military health care was shaped by her tenure as administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration (now the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) and as a senior advisor to President George H.W. Bush. 

Dr. Wilensky's contributions extended to various advisory roles, including chairing the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Physician Payment Review Commission. Her insights were frequently sought by Congressional committees and international audiences alike. 

Gail’s bipartisan approach, which allowed her to develop and advocate for policies that transcended political divides, was in perfect alignment with NORC's identity and mission of providing objective, nonpartisan research to inform public policy. Her deep understanding of health care economics and reform strategies and her ability to bridge research and policy enhanced the rigor and relevance of our work and helped us advance our health policy research initiatives.

We extend our deepest condolences to Gail's family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. Her noteworthy achievements and dedication to improving health care will always be remembered and celebrated.