Policy Currents | The newsletter for policy people
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** Dec. 12, 2024
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Assad’s Fall in Syria: Q&A with RAND Experts
This past weekend, Bashar al-Assad's regime was toppled by Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, also known as HTS. The collapse ended 50 years of brutal rule by the Assad family and created a power vacuum in Syria.
What might happen next? Is there any reason to believe that a more democratic government might emerge for the Syrian people? How might these events affect the United States, Russia, Iran, Israel, and others with key interests in the region? In a new Q&A, RAND researchers tackle these questions and more.
Regarding implications for U.S. policy, our experts agreed on the importance of carefully reviewing objectives in the region. As Ann Marie Dailey put it, it's time for the United States to develop a "more sustainable, long-term approach to the Middle East, not just one that is based on countering specific threats in specific places without consideration to broader geopolitical concerns."
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Spike in Upcoding Among U.S. Hospitals
In a new study, RAND researchers examined thousands of cases involving patient hospital stays for 239 different conditions from 2011 to 2019. They find that, during this period, hospitals significantly increased how often they upcoded patients to the sickest end of the care spectrum, where hospitals charge payers at the highest rate. This led to billions in extra payments from health plans and government programs. These new findings add to the evidence that hospitals may use this practice to increase their payments.
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North Korea's Bold Turn Toward Russia
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is more assertive than ever thanks to strengthened ties with Russia, says RAND's Benjamin Young. Kim's recent decision to deploy North Korean troops to help Moscow earns him political points with Russian President Vladimir Putin, provides the Korean People's Army with much-needed battlefield experience, and helps normalize Pyongyang as an active player in international conflicts. And in return for supporting its war in Ukraine, Russia could help North Korea diversify its growing nuclear weapons program. This poses a major challenge to the incoming Trump administration, Young says.
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** RAND Recommends
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- Jude Blanchette, a leading expert on China's political landscape, has been named the inaugural director of the RAND China Research Center and Distinguished Tang Chair in China Research.
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- RAND's Anca Agachi discusses Romania's "historic and unprecedented" decision to nullify its presidential election results amid reports of Russian interference.
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- In Nikkei Asia, RAND's Derek Grossman writes about the benefits of enhanced economic ties between the United States and Indonesia: "A stronger Indonesia ... would be a good outcome for both Jakarta and Washington alike."
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** Events
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The RAND/USC OPTIC Method for Policy Expert Ratings
Friday, December 13, 2024 (Online)
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Policy Lab: AI and Homeland Security
Thursday, January 30, 2025 (Online)
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** The Rise of AI: Insights from RAND Experts
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AI tools are evolving quickly, and decisionmakers are grappling with how to maximize the potential benefits and minimize the risks. Insights from RAND can help. Our researchers have been studying how AI will affect national security, the economy, health care, and much more.
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