In The Spotlight

Health Reform for New Health Reform Reporters

For reporters who normally cover topics other than health reform, today’s reform debates can mean playing catch-up. They may be facing a new vocabulary – public plan option, health insurance cooperative, employer mandate, individual mandate. Maybe they're trying to figure out what all this means for readers, viewers or listeners. To help speed reporters along the learning curve, the Alliance for Health Reform sponsored a July 1 briefing. The resource materials compiled will be valuable for anyone wanting an overview of the health reform process in Washington to date, and where it's headed. Read More

Now that health reform is being discussed in earnest on Capitol Hill, some wonder if we will be able to maintain our existing choices under a reformed health care system. Others maintain that our choices will grow, not shrink, as a result of reform, especially for the uninsured and the underinsured. Yet another viewpoint: Most Americans have choices now, but we don’t have enough information to make well-informed choices. This briefing, which was open to media only, brought together nationally known health policy experts for a conversation on consumer choice in health care. Cosponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  Read More

To improve the health of communities and the general population, an array of health reformers, states and businesses alike are all looking to a range of prevention measures such as chronic disease management, alcohol and smoking cessation, and obesity programs. The hope is that these measures will also improve value and control costs. What types of prevention models are working for business and government? What impact on health have prevention programs had? Does the evidence prove that prevention can cut costs? What emphasis should be placed on community vs. clinical prevention? What improvements need to be made in public health infrastructure, workforce and training to improve prevention efforts? To discuss these recommendations and questions, the Alliance for Health Reform and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation sponsored a June 19 briefing.  Read More

Where we live, learn, work and play can have an enormous influence on our health and well being. Yet millions of working men and women and their families face almost insurmountable barriers to better health on a daily basis. How much of Americans’ overall health is related to non-health care factors? Which factors are most important for good health? What policy changes could provide more opportunities for people to make healthy choices? This briefing, cosponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, addressed these and related questions, building on the findings of the foundation's Commission to Build a Healthier America (www.commissiononhealth.org).  Read More