GMU Prince William Forum on Coping with the Cost of Health Care: Some are Ready to Tackle Equality of Care, But Most are Unsure About How to Restrain Costs

Residents and local experts convened Friday April 3 at George Mason University's Prince William campus for the first in a series of National Issues Forums on health care policy and what to do about rising costs.  Facilitators from CVDNVA helped the small forum deliberate for ninety minutes on three approaches to what should be done. 

Afterward, each person completed a survey in which they not only named the most important issues, but also described their appreciation of the trade-offs at stake. 

The matter named important by the most participants was how to improve access to health care treatment.  They called for universal health care coverage as a right, or other steps to provide more equal coverage while protecting choice of medical care provider.  Several of those surveyed felt they had considered the issue sufficiently, and understood the trade-offs well enough, that they were ready to see the issue resolved.

The members of the forum were much less sure that they knew enough about how to resolve the problem of rapidly rising health care costs.  Only one participant felt sure about what should be done: improve the accountability of health care providers and the transparency of what they charge, whether they are drugmakers, HMOs/PPOs, physicians or insurance companies.

Before coming to these conclusions, the group deliberated on three approaches to addressing the health care problem.

• Reduce the threat of financial ruin.  The costs of illness make people feel vulnerable with no control over their future.  They worry they may be wiped out by medical expenses.

• Restrain out-of-control costs.  When faced with the prices of drugs, insurance and medical services, people say they are being ripped off.  Prices are out of control.

• Provide coverage as a right.  High costs mean that some Americans have to choose between eating and taking their medicine.  In the wealthiest nation on Earth, everyone ought to have health care.

To receive information on our next forum, please complete and submit the brief form below.  Thank you for your interest.

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