Dec 15, 2008
MS Activists Heed Obama's Call to Action
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.
In addition, President-elect Barack Obama called upon all Americans to act by holding health care reform discussion sessions across the country to help generate ideas on how to effectively reform our nation's health care system.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.
These discussions can be held at weekly meetings you already attend, a meeting of your neighborhood, in your living room, or raise questions about health care reform at your upcoming holiday cookie exchange.
Take Action Today! 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. You will be sent a packet from the Obama Transition team to help you with the process.
Join one of several health care reform discussion groups hosted by the Southern California Chapter:
Friday, December 19, 2008
9:00 - 11:00 am
National MS Society, West LA office
2440 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 115, Los Angeles
RSVP to Cheryl Lvovsky today
Friday, December 19, 2008
2:00 - 4:00 pm
National MS Society, Coachella Valley office
73-710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 115, Palm Desert
RSVP to Suellen Evavold today
Saturday, December 20, 2008
2:30 - 4:30 pm
Arlington Library
9556 Magnolia Ave., Riverside
RSVP to Todd Eckel today
At the National MS Society we have been active on this front for the past year and think we can provide you with a helpful tool to frame some of your discussions. Of course, your own personal experiences with the health care system and your beliefs on how it can be strengthened and improved are extremely valuable. The President will consider what he hears from the grassroots as critical information to guide discussions and decisions as a health care reform plan is forged.
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. Many issues that affect the MS community will likely play an important role in overall health care reform, including: out-of-pocket expenses, lifetime coverage caps, elimination of the Medicare 24 month disability waiting period; the adoption of health information technology; and, many others. Now is your chance to tell the incoming Administration your ideas on comprehensive health care reform.
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.
Thank you for being an MS activist.