By SR. CAROL KEEHAN, DC
CHA president and chief executive officer
However one characterizes 2010, it was certainly not boring. The struggle to get health reform passed, the early work on implementation, the struggle with misinformation campaigns, the lawsuits challenging reform and finally an election that dramatically changed the balance of power in Congress kept us focused.
Because of the lawsuits and much of the election rhetoric, some have questioned the future of health reform and what CHA's posture is. As a ministry, we defined our vision for health reform five years ago. We have never wavered from it. We stand by it today.
We will focus on exactly the same areas as we go forward, reform that protects life from conception until natural death; reform that works for coverage of all; and reform that focuses on quality, prevention and fairness. We have said that our current reform bill is a good first step. It is not the finished product. We must build on it until everyone in this country has health care coverage. Immediately, we must work on implementation that accomplishes coverage for the 32 million envisioned in the bill. In addition, no one will more work closely to monitor implementation of the bill to assure the protection of life.
Our members are focused on many areas required to implement the bill in a way that delivers the benefits promised to the largest number of people. Work in the states on exchanges, increased Medicaid eligibility and accountable care organizations is a major agenda item for all our members. We will be reviewing each proposed rule that comes out and sharing our perspective on it with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
We have an historic obligation to use our expertise and experience to contribute to the implementation of this bill in a way that does the most good for the most people. At the same time, we remain committed to achieving health care coverage for all in this country.
Copyright © 2011 by the Catholic Health Association
of the United States
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