On September 20, a panel of distinguished health care economists and researchers announced the launch of the Health Care Cost Institute, a first of its kind effort to collect cost, utilization and intensity data from leading private sector insurers. The data represents more than $1 trillion in spending from 2000 to present and is expected to be updated twice a year. Researchers hope to improve understanding of health care costs and utilization in the US, and help policymakers develop effective solutions to the long-term problems facing the health-care system.