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 2005-01-10-Wyden-National health panel |
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Wyden-HatchHealth Care Working Group
jewishsightseeing.com, Jan. 10, 2005 |
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The U.S. Comptroller
General's Office has announced it expects to appoint 14 members to a Citizen's Health Care Working Group in late February in conformance with the
"Health Care that Works for All Americans Act" co-sponsored by U.S.
Sens. Ron Wyden
(D-Ore) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). The panel "will lead a nationwide public debate on ways to improve the health care system to provide every American with the ability to obtain quality and affordable health care coverage," according to the comptroller general's office. In a news release prompted last month when President George W. Bush signed into law an omnibus appropriations bill providing funds for the panel, Wyden said the panel, in essence, will conduct "town hall" style hearings on health care, both in person and via email, in order to develop "bottom-up" recommendations instead of the "top-down" health directives, which he said haven't worked. “This funding is going to kick-start a nationwide dialogue that will offer a real opportunity for Americans to find their way out of the health care thicket,” said Wyden. “This approach to reform – a national education effort on the realities of the health care system, followed by public input from the folks who use that system – has never been tried before. It’s desperately needed, and the law builds in political accountability to make sure the people’s voice on health care is finally heard in the halls of Congress.” “For nearly 50 years, Washington has tried to impose a top-down, one-size-fits-all solution to health care, and it has not worked,” Hatch said. “This funding ensures that those who are truly affected – patients, physicians and providers – will be able to provide us with the answers those in Washington have sought to find.” Individuals interested in serving for the two-year term may apply online using the Citizens' Health Care Working Group Application, which may be accessed at https://citizenshealthcarewg.gao.gov/index.htm —Donald H. Harrison |
