In a new report, People Say American health care system is

 

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Copyright 2009 Federal Information and News Dispatch, Inc. Health and Human Services documents and publications

5 March 2009

SECTION: NEWS RELEASE

LENGTH: 830 words


TITLE: In a new report, People Say American health care system is broken, stressed the need for action this year on health reform

In a new report, People Say American health care system is broken, stressed the need for action this year on health reform

Report available on the new website: www.healthreform.gov

The Americans have expressed serious concerns about health care in a new report published today by the Department of Health and Human Services. The report, Americans speak out on health reform ... Report on Health Care Community Discussion, summarizes the comments of thousands of Americans who organized and participated in community discussions of health care across the country and stressed the need for immediate action by the health care reform .

The report is available on a new website on health reform: www.healthreform.gov. Unveiled today, the website will allow Americans now view the White House Health Forum, share their thoughts on health reform with the Obama Administration and sign a statement in support of the commitment Obama President of the enactment of comprehensive reform of health this year.

"The health care community and discussed the report today to ensure that when we talk about health reform, the American people have a seat at the table," said HHS spokeswoman Jenny Backus . Across the country, Americans, we need to know overall reform of health and the Obama Administration is committed to take action this year. "

In December, the then President-elect Obama has called the American people to receive health care community discussions to assess the severity of problems and solutions .... Over the past eight years, the health insurance premiums have risen four times faster than wages and more than a million Americans have lost their health insurance each year .... Health care costs have forced small businesses to close their doors and forced companies to ship jobs overseas.

Over 9000 people have signed in 50 states and the District of Columbia to host a discussion, and thousands more have participated in these meetings .... After each community health care discussions, guests and guests were invited to complete a participant survey and report the group's presidential transition team of the Group's web site summarizing the concerns and suggestions .... Group reports 3276 community healthcare and deliberations participant surveys from 30,603 participants were gathered, analyzed, and summarized in the report.

The cost of health care services and health insurance was most concerned about the health care system for 55 percent of the discussion participants. Participants also cited the lack of emphasis on prevention, pre-existing limited insurance access, and quality of care as key concerns. A qualitative analysis found that health care Community Discussions focused on concerns about "broken" health care system, access to health insurance and services, rising premiums and drug costs , medical errors and the system not to be "for ."...

Healthcare Community discussion group participants agreed on the values and direction that should guide reform .... They called for a system that is equitable, patient-centered and pragmatic choice, simple and effective, and comprehensive. The participants also proposed a wide range of specific solutions, including making health insurance more accessible through an insurance "exchange" or an option to the public, the creation of dashboards on the quality and cost, improving the nutritional content of school meals, the implementation of electronic medical records and creating an AmeriCorps for health care workers ....

Today's report also includes a series of personal testimonials from community health care discussion participants who expressed their concern about the state of health care in America .... A farmer from Enid, Okla., says: "I have spent my life savings to [Health], and now I am refused treatment at the local hospital, because I can not pay .... May I have to file bankruptcy because of this. " ... A report from Missoula, Mont., In commenting on policies that allow insurers to refuse coverage for Americans with preexisting conditions said, "No parent should have to tell her daughter is" insurable "."

President Obama has pledged to reform health care this year and has already taken steps to make health care more affordable and accessible .... President Obama signed a law to provide and protect health insurance coverage for 11 million American children through the Children's Health Insurance Program .... The President also signed into law the American recovery and Reinvestment Act, which includes investments in electronic health records, prevention, research on the comparative effectiveness and health professional training - the foundation for a 21st century health care system .... In addition, the President's budget plan also includes a complete history of health care reform.

A copy of the Americans speak out on health reform ... Report on community health care discussions, the group reports filed by participants and submitted hundreds of photos are available at www.HealthReform.gov.

Contact: HHS Press Release (202) 690-6343

LOAD-DATE: March 5 2009

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