Washington, D.C. - Leaders from widely diverse national organizations today stressed their mutual commitment to reform of the nation's health care system, calling it an "urgent, national necessity" that requires different stakeholders to cooperate in ways that they did not in previous reform efforts. The organizations, in identifying a number of policy approaches where they have reached consensus, pledged to work with lawmakers and each other to support the enactment of comprehensive reform this Congress.

Through a process they called Health Reform Dialogue, the organizations began holding facilitated discussions six months ago in order to create a forum outside of the political arena for exchanging views on tough policy issues. The participants - all principals of their respective organizations - launched the process to foster a greater sense of cooperation in the forthcoming national health reform debate, and provide broad-based support for congressional health reform efforts. In addition to sharing candid perspectives with each other privately before formal debate on health reform begins, the participants found areas of early consensus they believe can provide Congress with a solid foundation for reforming the health system.

"We entered this process knowing that the issues are complex, and with no illusions that these groups would reach agreement on every aspect of reform. But the diversity of perspectives that were shared at one table, and the spirit of commitment from all sides, made these discussions totally unlike anything that happened in 1994, and that bodes well," said Rich Umbdenstock, president and CEO, American Hospital Association. "Now more than ever before, all of us agree that fundamental reform of the nation's health care system is critical - right now, this year - and is essential for every sector of society. The American people want bipartisan, responsible reform, and all of us do, too."
The groups - representing employers, workers, hospitals, nurses, physicians, consumers, insurers, public health professionals, and others - described a process that they believe will help pave the road for comprehensive reforms to be approved by this Congress.

"While our organizations have worked either side-by-side or across the table for many years, we've seen a great benefit from creating this formal dialogue to increase understanding of each other's positions. I think it reflects that we have all learned from the last health care debate," said John Castellani, president, Business Roundtable. "This dialogue will pay off as congressional discussion about various reform options gets into full swing,"

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