sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
WASHINGTON ? Fifteen years after the last Democratic president failed to overhaul the nation's troubled health care system, President Obama kicks off his effort to try again today by bringing all the major players together at the White House.
It's a largely symbolic move, to be followed in the months ahead by tough negotiations over health care costs, access and quality. Even so, the White House has high hopes for the summit because of who will be in the room: consumers and providers, business and labor, insurers and drugmakers.
"They are coming to the White House and coming to the table because they want to get this done," says Melody Barnes, Obama's top domestic policy adviser. Rather than being prescriptive, she says, the president will be pragmatic.
The half-day session will include presentations by average Americans caught in the health care maelstrom. About 46 million people are uninsured, according to the most recent Census figures. Others are paying more than they can afford....
more... http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-03-04-health_N.htm?csp=34
It's a largely symbolic move, to be followed in the months ahead by tough negotiations over health care costs, access and quality. Even so, the White House has high hopes for the summit because of who will be in the room: consumers and providers, business and labor, insurers and drugmakers.
"They are coming to the White House and coming to the table because they want to get this done," says Melody Barnes, Obama's top domestic policy adviser. Rather than being prescriptive, she says, the president will be pragmatic.
The half-day session will include presentations by average Americans caught in the health care maelstrom. About 46 million people are uninsured, according to the most recent Census figures. Others are paying more than they can afford....
more... http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-03-04-health_N.htm?csp=34