January 26, 2016
Contact: Shannon McGue
National Coalition on Health Care
smcgue@nchc.org
202-638-7151, ext. 108
NCHC Praises Senate Chronic Care Effort, Calls for 2016 Legislative Action
WASHINGTON, DC— The National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC), an alliance of leading national health care, consumer, labor and business groups, submitted a comment letter today offering overall praise for chronic care reforms under consideration by the Senate Finance Committee Chronic Care Working Group and urging legislative action this year.
“With resurgent health care costs putting pressure on the Medicare program, family budgets and employer bottom lines, stakeholders welcome this bipartisan effort to tackle our costly chronic disease epidemic,” stated NCHC President and CEO, John Rother.
On May 22, 2015, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch and Ranking Member Ron Wyden announced the creation of the Chronic Care Working Group, led by Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA). Today’s NCHC comment letter responds to a December 18 document circulated by the Chronic Care Working Group to health care stakeholders, which enumerated options under consideration for possible legislation.
“Better chronic care now can improve the quality of life for today’s seniors and disabled Americans and help keep health care affordable in the future,” said Rother. “Neither Medicare beneficiaries nor the rest of us should have to wait until the next Congress for progress.”
NCHC’s comment letter can be found here.
For more information on NCHC’s recommendations on health care affordability and value, click here.
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The National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC), the oldest and most diverse group working to achieve comprehensive health system reform, is a 501(c)(3) organization representing more than 80 participating organizations, including medical societies, businesses, unions, health care providers, faith-based associations, pension and health funds, insurers and groups representing consumers, patients, women, minorities and persons with disabilities. Member organizations collectively represent – as employees, members, or congregants – over 100 million Americans.
Some members of NCHC do not, or cannot, take positions either on specific legislation, strategies or on any policies outside their respective mission areas. However, all that can, do endorse broad policy positions in support of comprehensive health system change.