A message from Commonwealth President Joseph R. Betancourt, M.D.
The Commonwealth Fund was established in 1918 by Anna Harkness — one of the first women to start a private foundation — with the broad charge of enhancing the common good.
Throughout our history, the Fund’s impact has been felt across the U.S. health care system. From support that led to the creation of the first public health departments, to funding for rural hospitals that led to the Hill-Burton Act and construction of hospitals across the country, to grants to urban medical schools, and to research that led to unprecedented health care coverage for Americans nationwide through the Affordable Care Act, the Fund has been steadfast in its mission to drive toward high-quality, affordable, equitable health care for everyone.
The pillars upon which the Commonwealth Fund stand include the importance of respect, dignity, and the welfare of humankind. Today, our values compel us to be bold and impactful, to center community and common humanity, and to anchor equity and integrity in everything we do.
We remain steadfast and undeterred in our commitment to our mission and our values. With a dedicated and committed team, and like-minded grantees and partners, we are determined to continue to do the work every day to achieve meaningful change and improvements in the health care system for all Americans.
Today this is more important than ever, as we continue to see the United States lag far behind its peers on health outcomes, despite spending more on health care than any other developed nation in the world. We are experiencing worsening access to care, affordability challenges that put care out of the reach of many, and significant disparities that leave populations of all backgrounds behind. As a physician, this is painful, and personal to me.
At this time of great reflection about the direction of our country, and in the midst of hurtful and divisive rhetoric that dehumanizes so many, we lift up our history, our values, and everything that we stand for as fuel for the continued fight ahead.
As a nonpartisan, nonprofit, private institution, we take our role — and our privilege in society — seriously. While we will always strive to compromise with any who share our goals, we will be uncompromising as it relates to the values upon which we were established, and by which we aim to live every day.
Our work will continue, buoyed by a renewed sense of passion, energy, and purpose. We hope all those who share our values and this passion will come along on this journey with us to create a healthier tomorrow for everyone.
