<nobr>Dec 2, 2008</nobr>

Wyden-Bennett Health Sponsors Outline Reform Principles for Obama

In a November 21 letter to President-elect Barack Obama, 15 Democratic and Republican senators who are cosponsors of the Healthy Americans Act (S. 334) introduced by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Robert Bennett (R-UT), urged the incoming President to consider seven principles as the basis for health reform in 2009.

"In the coming months, you will be receiving suggestions and proposals for health care reform from Congressional leaders and stakeholders. We see this as a sign that after decades of debate, Congress is finally ready to tackle what is unquestionably one of the most important and challenging issues facing our nation," the senators wrote.

The seven principles the senators outlined include:

• Ensuring that all Americans have health care coverage;


• Making sure health care coverage is affordable and portable;


• Implementing strong private insurance market reforms;


• Modernizing federal tax rules for health coverage;
  Promoting improved disease prevention and wellness activities, as well as better management of chronic illnesses;


• Making health care prices and choices more transparent so that consumers and providers can make the best choices for their health and health care dollars; and


• Improving the quality and value of health care services.

The senators also wrote that it will be important to "explore financing mechanisms that would maximize the use of existing health care dollars and ideally produce savings in the future," and that it will be "critical to find ways to meet health care reform goals while also maintaining fiscal responsibility."

The Wyden-Bennett Healthy Americans Act is thus far the most comprehensive legislation introduced in the current Congress, but it will likely be overshadowed as Obama and the key House and Senate Committee Chairmen add their input into the health reform debate. ERIC has opposed S. 334 because it would essentially phase employers out of their role of sponsoring group health plans, but keep them on the hook for many of the costs and administrative notice requirements.

Letter to President-elect Obama

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