Health Care Reform

Overview
Health Care Reform has emerged as a top federal and state legislative issue this year. Many state legislatures have already passed their own reforms and several others are following their lead. The 111th Congress and the Obama administration have expressed their commitment to passing comprehensive federal health care reform by the end of this year.

The three main drivers of Health Care Reform are:

• The rising costs of health care – Americans spend nearly 16 percent of our nation’s annual GDP on health care;
• Increasing access to coverage for the estimated 47 million uninsured; and
• Improving the overall quality of care versus quantity.

HCSC Position
HCSC is an advocate for health care reform, and we support:

• The development of a pathway that provides sustainable access to coverage for all Americans;
• Health and wellness initiatives that will minimize the waste of health care dollars on the treatment of preventable conditions;
• Initiatives that promote effective care, treatment, research and information technologies that improve quality and provide value for each health care dollar;
• Reform that requires all Americans to take responsibility for their role in achieving a better future for us and our country; and
• President Obama's call for bipartisan cooperation and an inclusive compromise among all stakeholders.

We believe that the underlying issue for most of the health care system challenges is the cost of health care, which must be addressed both in terms of funding and control. The federal government can lay out the broad parameters for reform, but health care is local and the states should have a role. We believe government should encourage the market to invest in innovative solutions and policymakers should work in collaboration with the private sector leaders to find solutions.

HCSC will continue to invest in resources to help solve the complicated issues at hand. Please consider our perspective on the following topics: