Be a Part of Health Care Reform

As the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress prepare to convene, we have an early opportunity to make an impact on the discussion around comprehensive health care reform. President-elect Barack Obama recently sent out a call to action for all Americans. The incoming Administration wants you to engage your family and friends in a dialogue about comprehensive health care reform.

You are encouraged to hold these sessions between December 15-31. This is an important opportunity for MS Activists to participate in the national health care reform debate. If you are interested in setting up a health care reform discussion at your home or with a group you meet with regularly click here for more information.

Some key questions to spur your discussion on health care reform could include:

• What does comprehensive health care reform mean to you?
• What concerns you the most about your current health care situation?
• What concerns you the most as you think about your health care needs in the future?
• What are the most important health care issues facing people with MS and other chronic diseases?
• How do disparities in the provision of health care impact people who are most vulnerable?
• How can a focus on delivering quality health care lead to cost savings in the long-term?
• How can increased consumer involvement in health care decisions change the way health care is delivered and the degree of satisfaction with the process by the people most affected-patients?

We encourage you to refer to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Health Care Reform Principles as a tool to help guide your discussions. You may choose to share these with others who are engaged in this discussion. The Society's Principles support:

• Accessible health care coverage.
• Affordable health care services and coverage.
• Standards for coverage of specific treatments.
• Elimination of disparities in care.
• Comprehensive, quality health care available to all.
• Increased value of health care.
• Access to high-quality, long-term supports and services.

For those who would like to refer to a glossary of health care related terms that appear in the principles and which you may hear during the course of this discussion, please click here.

If you are not interested in hosting a health care discussion, but you would like to submit individual comments to the Obama transition team instead, you may click here to submit your own ideas about comprehensive health care reform.