Finance Committee Holds Health Reform Summit

June 17, 2008

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) kicked off the Prepare For Launch: Health Reform Summit on June 16 at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

In preparation for the summit, past NSBA chair Raymond Arth testified before the Senate Finance Committee during a hearing, “47 Million & Counting: Why the Health Care Marketplace is Broken.” The hearing was part of a series of hearings, forums and other events held in combination with the summit meant to inform the debate on health care reform for the 111th Congress. Mr. Arth’s remarks focused on the challenges his small business has faced in providing affordable, quality health insurance, but also illustrated NSBA’s position and policy recommendations for reform. Click here to read Raymond Arth’s testimony.

The summit’s agenda consisted of bipartisan discussions with experts on several systemic problems in our nation’s health care system, including state-based reform efforts, employer-sponsored coverage trends, rising health care costs and demographic shifts, insurance market reform, the role of public programs, and delivery system reform.

The day-long summit began with a keynote address by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on health care and American economic competitiveness. Improving the performance of our health care system is “without a doubt one of the most important challenges that our nation faces, “ Bernanke said. Bernanke noted that to address problems in the U.S. health care system, lawmakers must focus on issues of access to care, quality and cost.

Chairman Baucus and Ranking Member Grassley are expected to continue with discussions on health care reform through hearings and other venues to provide insight into the challenges that lie ahead for reform.

To read more about the healthcare reform summit, click here.