Friday, March 13, 2009

Health reform goes local

Yesterday marked the launch of a series of White House regional health forums that will be held across the country in the coming weeks. The first forum was held in Michigan and was attended by politicians, reporters, doctors, nurses and the public.

The day’s events included individuals sharing personal stories of how their lives have been impacted by astronomical health care costs, small business owners talking about their struggles to provide their employees with health coverage and politicians talking about their commitment to reform.

And according to an APHA member who attended, many of the principles APHA is endorsing for health reform - such as universal coverage, access to health services, emphasis on wellness and prevention, and reducing health disparities – were also mentioned by participants in the forum.

Does this forum sound like something in which you’d like to be involved? If you live in Vermont, Iowa, North Carolina or California, you’re in luck – these are the states hosting the next health forums. You can find out the dates and other information here.

Don’t live in one of those states but still want to get involved? You can play a role by submitting ideas or questions for the upcoming forums here.

What topics do you want to see covered at the forums? Do you think they are a good way to get more people involved in and supportive of health reform? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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