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President Obama proposed a framework to guide legislative change as part of his budget proposal overview on Feb. 26.
Funding ($634 billion over 10 years) would support health care reform initiatives intended to improve access to health care and efficiency within the health care system.
President Obama has identified eight broad principles, listed below, to guide health reform efforts.
- Protect families’ financial health — Reduce the growing premiums and other costs citizens and businesses pay for health care. Protect people from bankruptcy due to catastrophic illness;
- Make health coverage affordable — Reduce high administrative costs, unnecessary tests and services, waste and other inefficiencies; and
- Aim for Universality — The plan must put the United States on a clear path to cover all Americans;
- Provide portability of coverage — Health care coverage should not be tied to employment and people should not be denied coverage because of preexisting conditions;
- Guarantee choice — Provide choice of health plans and physicians and maintain the option of keeping employer-based health plans;
- Invest in Prevention and Wellness — Invest in public health measures proven to reduce cost drivers and guarantee access to proven preventive treatments;
- Improve patient safety and quality care — Ensure implementation of proven patient safety measures and provide incentives to reduce unnecessary variability in patient care. Support widespread use of health information technology and development of data on effectiveness of medical interventions to improve quality of care delivered; and
- Maintain long-term fiscal sustainability — The plan must pay for itself by reducing the level of cost growth, improving productivity and dedicating additional sources of revenue.
In recognition of National Public Health Week, the College of Public Health will highlight these principles as they relate to specific health care reform issues each day this week in UNMC Today.