Ross DeVol
Showing 1–9 of 9 transcripts.
- Milken Institute1h 14m
Building Better Cities and Scaling Housing Solutions
Diane Helfrey, Ross DeVol, Mary Mack, Jonathan Rose, Jesse Vaughan
Experts and corporate leaders convened to address a 20-million-unit U.S. housing deficit driven by coastal economic concentration and demographic shifts, highlighting how essential workers like teachers and first responders are increasingly priced out of the market. The dialogue detailed specific interventions, including Landed's equity-sharing model for down payments, Wells Fargo's LIFT program, and Microsoft's $500 million investment, while emphasizing that preserving existing affordable stock and reforming zoning laws are equally critical to expanding supply. Despite strong public support for mixed-income housing, the event concluded that overcoming local NIMBY opposition and aligning fragmented advocacy groups are necessary to unlock the policy consensus required for systemic change.
- Milken Institute59 min
U.S. Overview: Big Markets, Big Politics
Philippa Thomas, Jonathan Blair, Ross DeVol, Tony Fratto, Steve Krouskos, William Lee, Trevor Custle, John Jones
A panel of five experts, including Bill Lee of the Milken Institute and Steve Kruskos of EY, assessed the current U.S. economy with high optimism while highlighting a paradox between strong macroeconomic indicators and low public trust. The discussion covered the structural impacts of a $1.5 trillion tax bill, the risks of reduced regulatory burdens, and shifting investment trends driven by Brexit and tightening U.S.-China trade relations. Despite consensus on robust growth potential, speakers warned of underlying vulnerabilities such as income inequality, a slowdown in new business formation, and potential asset price distortions caused by monetary policy uncertainty.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Business Tax Reform: Hammering Out the Details
Ben White, Chris Campbell, Ross DeVol, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Gene Sperling, Mark Weinberger
The White House and Republican congressional leadership have unified behind a tax reform package leveraging budget reconciliation to pass with a simple majority, though experts warn that claims of self-funding through growth are mathematically inconsistent with current proposals. Key debates center on the inclusion of corporate cuts alongside individual rate reductions, while panelists express skepticism regarding the Border Adjustment Tax's viability and the likelihood that the final legislation will fail deficit neutrality tests under the Byrd Rule. Consequently, the anticipated outcome is a significant short-term stimulus with temporary deficits rather than a permanent, revenue-neutral reform, leaving bipartisan support unlikely without structural adjustments favoring the middle class and infrastructure investment.
- Milken Institute1h 10m
U.S. Overview: Will the Economic Tailwind Continue?
Ross DeVol, John Chen, Francisco González Díaz, Vasant Prabhu, Steven Rattner, Alan Schwartz
Moderated by Ross Duvall, a panel of industry leaders from BlackBerry, Visa, Guggenheim Partners, and other institutions analyzed the disconnect between U.S. consumer confidence and weak corporate investment while debating the strategic necessity of NAFTA renegotiation and tax reform. Participants highlighted that despite robust consumer spending and low unemployment, stagnant productivity and a skills gap limit growth, prompting calls to shift focus toward high-tech innovation rather than manufacturing repatriation. Looking ahead to 2017, the group predicted a likely passage of corporate tax legislation through reconciliation, limited modifications to the Affordable Care Act, and the commencement of NAFTA negotiations that would emphasize technology and intellectual property over traditional trade barriers.
- Milken Institute47 min
The 2014 Atlanta Summit - - The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease: Preventing the Preventable
Ross DeVol, Margaret Anderson, Steve Bird, David Heber, Ken Thorpe
Milken Institute's Ross Duvall, Safeway's Steve Bird, UCLA's David Heber, and Emory's Ken Thorpe presented a unified analysis revealing that rising chronic disease prevalence, particularly in diabetes and stroke, is the primary driver of escalating healthcare costs despite controlled medical inflation. The panel highlighted successful private-sector interventions, such as Safeway's biometric wellness programs and social network strategies for obesity, which achieved significant cost reductions by targeting visceral fat and behavioral incentives rather than relying solely on traditional medical treatment. To scale these proven models, the speakers urged policymakers to reframe Medicare reform as a proactive health strategy, overcome Congressional Budget Office scoring constraints, and replace fee-for-service payment structures with value-based incentives that prioritize prevention and early disease management.
- Milken Institute49 min
MI Summit 2013 - London: U.S. Overview: Gathering Steam? (updated)
Gregory Cappelli, Ross DeVol, Harold Ford Jr., J. Todd Morley, Eric Spiegel, Philippa Thomas
Facing a potential partial government shutdown and debt ceiling breach by mid-October, U.S. political leaders like Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell are navigating intense intra-party gridlock driven by primary threats. Concurrently, the economy hovers near 2% growth sustained by Federal Reserve stimulus, though experts warn of a structural skills gap, a housing mini-bubble, and an over-reliance on monetary policy that masks underlying weaknesses. Panelists advocate for urgent structural reforms including corporate tax cuts and immigration changes to resolve regulatory stagnation and stimulate genuine long-term innovation.
- Milken Institute49 min
MI Summit 2013 - London: U.S. Overview: Gathering Steam?
Gregory Cappelli, Ross DeVol, Harold Ford Jr., J. Todd Morley, Eric Spiegel, Philippa Thomas
The panel analyzed a precarious October 1 government shutdown and impending debt ceiling crisis driven by ideological gridlock between Speaker John Cornyn and the Tea Party faction against the White House. While macroeconomic indicators show resilience with GDP growth near 2% and recovering manufacturing, the economy faces severe headwinds including a skills gap affecting 3.5 million jobs, regulatory uncertainty from healthcare legislation, and stalled corporate investment due to political paralysis. Experts concluded that breaking the current economic logjam requires urgent structural reforms, specifically corporate tax reduction and energy pipeline approvals, as the lack of political compromise threatens to derail both fiscal stability and long-term U.S. competitiveness.
- Milken Institute1h 12m
U.S. Overview: First Recovery, Then Takeoff?
Abby Joseph Cohen, Gary Loveman, Raymond McGuire, Jim Moffatt, Maggie Wilderotter, Ross DeVol, Ross Duvall, Abby Cohen
A March 2013 panel of Milken Institute analysts evaluated the U.S. economic recovery, noting a 2.5% Q1 growth rate that masks a sluggish labor market and a divergence where corporations hoard cash for buybacks rather than investing in small businesses or R&D. The discussion highlighted how European recession, regulatory uncertainty, and a global tax code incentivizing overseas profits have suppressed domestic expansion despite strong corporate profits and a housing market turning point. Experts concluded that achieving 4% growth requires resolving political gridlock, reforming the corporate tax system, and implementing structural investments in innovation and broadband to convert current financial slack into sustained job creation.
- Milken Institute10 min
Ross DeVol interviews Paul Kusserow of Humana
Ross DeVol, Paul Kusserow, Ross Duvall, Paul Coussereau
Humana completed an $800 million acquisition of Concentra to integrate occupational health services and shift care to alternative sites, aiming to reduce costly hospitalizations amid a looming global physician shortage. To address demographic pressures and a projected 130,000-physician gap by 2020, the company is leveraging a hybrid model that combines technology like sensor monitoring and telemedicine with expanded roles for nurse practitioners and "health extenders." This strategy seeks to mitigate rising costs for the 15% of members driving the majority of expenses while managing the care needs of an aging population through integrated wellness programs and algorithmic data analysis.