A D V E R T I S M E N T

Thursday, February 27, 1997
The Washington Post, page A18
If we are to successfully treat the health care
problem, let us begin by understanding its anatomy.

Washington, DC As with any illness, before you can prescribe a treatment for it, you must first study and understand it. Contain it. And quickly find a cure.

When it comes to our ailing health care system, the same rules of medicine apply. The symptoms are certainly pronounced. Health care spending is rising at more than twice the rate of inflation. Over 40 million Americans are uninsured and their number is growing rapidly. Millions more who have health insurance worry that they won’t be able to afford it if they lose or leave their jobs.

Perhaps even more troubling is the fact that health professionals themselves are concerned about the quality of care available. Not to mention the efficiency with which care is delivered.

And the problem is growing, to be sure. It’s not affecting just individuals and families, but also businesses of all sizes, as well as state and federal governments.

The future of America’s health care system is everyone’s concern. We must all make it a priority to bring high-quality, affordable and accessible health care into the national agenda.

That is precisely why we, as a nation, must make an informed decision about how to rid the system of the ailments which plague it.

To that end, the National Coalition on Health Care has established a powerful, non-partisan effort to build understanding of the problems in today’s health care system.

The brain. That which, when properly educated, can solve difficult problems. Like health care.

We are the nation’s largest, most broadly representative alliance currently working to improve America’s health care.Nearly 100 leadership organizations, representing 100 million Americans, have already joined the effort, including businesses, labor unions, the nation’s largest consumer groups, religious groups and primary health care providers.Driving this effort is a unified belief in five basic principles: securing health insurance for everyone, improved quality of care, cost containment, equitable financing and simplified administration of the health care system.Through a strong network of leadership and a commitment to those five principles, the Coalition will provide the foundation and starting point for a national dialogue in big cities and small towns across the country.

A major part of that effort begins with For America’s Health. A grassroots public awareness and education campaign designed to help Americans better understand the health care system so that they can make informed decisions about their own care as well as the broader health care system.

Unbiased research and commissioned studies will provide an ongoing means of taking the pulse of the nation’s attitudes and perceptions of the health care system. Providing a more complete look at how health care affects individuals, families, business, the economy, and the nation.

Of course, gaining a broader understanding will depend on the involvement of our nation’s business leaders. We will partner with businesses of all sizes, through conferences and round table discussions, to offer opportunities to explore health care strategies.

Strategies that will become an integral part of a larger national dialogue. A dialogue that will lead to a broader understanding. An understanding that can only lead to viable solutions.

Securing the future of our nation’s health care system is everyone’s responsibility. We invite you to join the Coalition’s efforts toward helping everyone better understand its anatomy. For ways you can become more involved, we invite you to visit our website at www.americashealth.org or call us at (202) 637-6830.Advertisement, The Washington Post (February 27, 1997 p. A18)