WASHINGTON—Former presidential advisor Dr. Brian Blase, Ph.D., this week joined The Heritage Foundation as a visiting fellow, focusing on health care and entitlement policy.

Previously, Blase was a Special Assistant to President Trump for Economic Policy. He served on the White House’s National Economic Council where he led work to create and implement health policy initiatives to lower Americans’ costs and improve choices, including health reimbursement arrangements, short-term limited-duration health plans, and association health plans. He also coordinated the development of the Administration’s ground-breaking report, “Reforming America’s Health Care System Through Choice and Competition.”

“Brian Blase is an exceptional health economist and expert on the major federal entitlement programs,” said Paul Winfree, Heritage’s Director of the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies and Richard F. Aster Fellow. “We are excited to have him joining Heritage where he’ll be working alongside our economic and health care experts on new ways to ensure that our programs are fiscally sustainable and best serve people.”

“Brian has an exceptional track record of advancing innovative, practical reforms to help lower Americans’ health costs, and expand their choices,” added Marie Fishpaw, Heritage’s Director of Domestic Policy Studies.

Blase’s career in public policy includes stints as a senior staffer at the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Senate Republican Policy Committee. He started his health policy career at Heritage, serving as a policy analyst and graduate fellow.

Blase received his Ph.D. from George Mason University in 2013 in economics.