Key Senators Commit To Healthcare Reform, USA

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 01 Jan 2009 - 0:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

The chairs of the two Senate committees with jurisdiction over health care reform, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), have already signaled that healthcare reform will be a priority for them. Senator Kennedy plans on having reform legislation drafted by Inauguration Day (January 20), with staff engaging in discussions with diverse stakeholder groups. Senator Baucus released on November 12th a white paper outlining his vision for policy in on areas of coverage, costs and quality. Titled A Call to Action: Health Reform 2009, Senator Baucus' paper is available here.

Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) has also expressed his commitment to comprehensive healthcare reform. In a statement released in mid November, he said, "I have been working on health care policy for more than 25 years, and I have never been more hopeful about the prospects for reform-nor more convinced about the overwhelming need for reform-than I am now." As chairman of the Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, Senator Rockefeller is also a leader on the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and has stated he sees SCHIP reauthorization as a step that would send an important message that healthcare is a top priority. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Christopher Dodd (D-CT), members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, have expressed sentiments on prevention and early intervention as needed approaches to healthcare reform.

In addition, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) have asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study best practices to reduce healthcare costs and improve quality. Specifically, they requested that GAO conduct a study that includes: 1) identification of best practices utilized by states, integrated delivery systems or other countries to reduce costs and improve quality; and 2) an examination of the extent to which these best practices can be applied on a system-wide basis in the U.S. To access the letter see here.

Source
http://www.democracyinaction.org