The Center for Voter Deliberation of Northern Virginia

Cut health care costs, says Prince William area forum

Twenty members and friends of the Prince William Area Commission on Aging convened Tuesday September 22, for the Center's fourth National Issues Forum on health care, this time at the Prince William Senior Citizens Center in Manassas. 

Two-thirds of the participants afterward completed a survey, in which they named the most important issues to them, and the trade-offs they would accept in combination with their preferred outcome. 

The respondents were almost exclusively concerned with controlling the rising cost of health care.  Tort reform, more effective denial of unpaid care to undocumented immigrants, reform and audit of existing government programs and the minimization of government's role in health care were the favored means to bring costs under control.

The focus of this survey research is to gauge not just the character of views held, but the depth of those opinions.  For example, almost all of the survey respondents reported that they have moved beyond a basic awareness of the issues involved in health care reform.  However, only a few characterized themselves as fully grasping the consequences of their preferences and ready to accept the necessary trade-offs.  On average the respondents were two-thirds of the way to committing themselves.  At this stage, most of them are weighing the pros, cons and trade-offs involved in health care reform.

The American Townhall on Health Care at the National Mall is Saturday September 12

You are invited to the cross-partisan American Townhall on Health Care.  The forum is open from 10 am to 6 pm and participants may come and go at any time thanks to the rolling format.  The event will be held on the National Mall between 3rd and 4th Streets (just south of the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art).  Using Metro is highly recommended due to all the demonstrations that day.

The townhall coincides with major Republican and Democratic health care events on the National Mall.  One of the townhall's aims is to demonstrate that dialogue is possible, even in this highly charged environment.  It is free and open to the public.  For more information, visit the website of The American Townhall on Health Care.

Busboys & Poets hosts National Issues Forum on health care reform

Many thanks to the one hundred people who convened for the Center's third National Issues Forum on health care, this time at Busboys and Poets in Washington on Monday August 24. 

One half of the participants in the August 24 forum afterward completed a survey, in which they named the most important issues to them, and the trade-offs they would accept in combination with their preferred outcome.

The respondents were most concerned, unsurprisingly, with resolving inequality of health care and controlling rising costs.

The focus of our survey research is to gauge not just the character of views held, but the depth of those opinions.  For example, most of the survey respondents reported that they had moved well beyond a simple or basic awareness of the issues involved in health care reform.  However, most were not ready to commit themselves to a particular health care reform solution.  On average the respondents were two-thirds of the way to committing themselves.  At this stage, most of them are weighing the pros, cons and trade-offs involved in health care reform proposals on the table.

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Governor Howard Dean comes to Busboys and Poets at 14th & V on Tuesday, September 15, from 6:00 to 7:30 pm to talk about his new book on the obstacles to health care reform and what it will take to overcome them:  Howard Dean's Prescription For Real Health Care Reform --  How We Can Achieve Affordable Medical Care for Every American and Make Our Jobs Safer.  Dean argues that for real reform to happen, Americans must have the choice to either keep their existing coverage if they are happy with it, or have the option to select a public plan; and that America must continue to make key investments as President Obama has begun to make in health care information technology to reduce costs and improve the quality of care.

The event is free and open to all.