Interview: Joann Donnellan

Argentina Backtracking on Reproductive Rights, Human Rights Watch Report Says

August 11, 2010 — Since Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner took office in 2007, her administration has eroded protections for reproductive rights, including a reversal of the government's intention to guarantee access to legal abortion services, according to a report released Tuesday by Human Rights Watch, the New York Times reports.

Abortion is "strictly" limited in the predominantly Catholic nation, with exceptions only in cases of rape or physical or mental risk to the woman, the report said. Despite the restrictions, an estimated 40% of pregnancies in 2005 ended in abortion, most of which were illegal and unsafe. Unsafe abortion is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the country, contributing to more than 20% of deaths recorded as a result of obstetric emergencies in 2008, according to government figures cited in the report.

Marianne Mollmann, the report's author, wrote that opponents of abortion rights continue to influence policy decisions. In July, the Health Ministry "backtracked on its declared intention to guarantee access to legal abortion" after strong questioning by the Argentine press, the report said (Barrioneuvo, New York Times, 8/10). At the time, Health Minister Juan Manzur said that he never approved new guidelines on how doctors should comply with exceptions to the abortion ban. "We have said this before: We are against abortion. The president has said the same thing," Manzur said (Huber, AP/San Francisco Examiner, 8/10). However, earlier that month, a ministry official said Manzur had signed a resolution supporting the guidelines, which would have allowed doctors to perform abortions for rape survivors without securing a police report.

Access to Contraception

The report also noted that Argentine women continue to face "barriers to making independent decisions" about their reproductive health, such as domestic and sexual violence, and economic barriers that the government has failed to address.

The country's Congress in 2002 enacted the National Law on Sexual Health and Responsible Protection, which ended an 11-year ban on the use and sale of contraceptives and called for universal access to contraception and information on reproductive health. However, "[l]ittle has changed for the women and girls who depend on the public health system," the report said. Public officials who failed to uphold the law have not been penalized by the government, the report said (New York Times, 8/10). Mollmann said, "It really is just about providing information and contraception to give women real choices. That's not happening."

The report said Argentina has made improvements in two areas since HRW's last report in 2005: Sex education is now mandatory in public schools, and the country has removed obstacles for women who seek sterilization (AP/San Francisco Examiner, 8/10).

Antiabortion-Rights Groups Step Up Attacks on Democrats as Midterm Elections Near

August 11, 2010 — Continuing its campaign against antiabortion-rights House Democrats who voted for the federal health reform law (PL 111-148), the Susan B. Anthony List on Tuesday launched a bus tour through 23 cities in swing states to rally support from social conservatives, the Washington Independent reports. The bus -- dubbed the "Votes Have Consequences Express" -- will travel to Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. According to former U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, project director for SBA List, in the districts the bus will visit, "more than three-quarters of the voters say they oppose taxpayer-funded abortion."

Antiabortion-rights advocates' arguments concern a decision by a bloc of House Democrats to vote for the health reform law after President Obama pledged to issue an executive order reiterating that federal funds would not be used for abortion services. Although legal and health care experts -- and even some Republican lawmakers -- say the reform law will not provide taxpayer money for abortion services, Musgrave and other abortion-rights opponents maintain that the restrictions are too lax. They argue that a provision in the law requiring private money for abortion coverage to be kept in a separate account from federal dollars is an "accounting gimmick," according to the Independent. The groups say that the executive order could be rescinded in the future and does not carry the same weight as a law.

Timothy Jost, a health law expert and law professor at Washington and Lee University, said that the groups targeting Democrats who voted for the law "have a political agenda, and it's a partisan political agenda, and they're not particularly interested in the truth." He added, "What they want to do is elect Republicans" (Zwick, Washington Independent, 8/11).

U.S. Maternity Leave Policy Lags Far Behind International Standard, Columnist Writes

August 11, 2010 — The U.S. "has the stingiest maternity leave almost anywhere in the world," Boston Herald columnist Margery Eagan writes in reaction to the Massachusetts Supreme Court's ruling that state law does not protect women from job loss after more than eight weeks of maternity leave, "even if bosses promise more time" (Eagan, Boston Herald, 8/10). The Massachusetts law mainly applies to small businesses with at least six employees. Under the 1993 federal Family and Medical Leave Act, companies with 50 or more employees are required to provide women with 12 weeks of unpaid leave and job protection after the birth of a child (Women's Health Policy Report, 8/10).

According to Eagan, in most of Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, the standard maternity leave is about three months off from work with full pay. Although some people might argue that U.S. companies cannot afford lengthy maternity leaves because of the poor economy, Germany which has an even weaker economy offers 14 weeks of leave with full pay, while Bangladesh offers 12 weeks with full pay.

The larger issue, Eagan continues, is why U.S. women accept these maternity leave terms. She asks, "Why are we, the richest nation on earth, so nasty to newborns and their mothers? How come we never hear from Mama Grizzly Sarah Palin (R) and the family values crowd on this one?"

Eagan suggests a "modest proposal" of 12 weeks of maternity leave with 75% pay. She concludes, "We'd still lag way behind Bangladesh (12 weeks, full pay). But it's a start" (Boston Herald, 8/10).

Technique To Stimulate Egg Cell Maturation Has Implications for Infertility, Stem Cell Research

Aug. 11, 2010 — U.S., Chinese and Japanese scientists have discovered a way to prompt immature eggs in mice to develop into mature eggs, a method that could eventually be used to help infertile women, according to a paper recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the New York Times reports.

An accidental finding by other researchers -- that removing a certain gene in mice stimulated all of the animals' immature eggs to mature -- provided the "impetus for the discovery" in the recent study, according to the Times. Researchers from Stanford University and colleagues used a similar process to get immature mouse eggs to develop for their study. They inhibited an enzyme called PTEN and added a protein fragment to help spur immature egg cells to develop into mature eggs that can be fertilized.

The researchers then fertilized the mature eggs, allowed them to develop into mice and proved that those offspring were fertile later in life. The scientists also successfully applied their method to human eggs, although they did not fertilize them. A Japanese scientist now plans to use the technique to mature women's primordial follicles and eventually fertilize the eggs.

The findings could have implications for treating infertility in perimenopausal women who do not produce mature eggs or women who have cancer treatments that cause ovarian failure, according to the Times. Scientists also hope to use the method to generate embryonic stem cells, which often are difficult to obtain because of a lack of available mature human eggs. For example, one scientist said he intends to develop immature eggs from ovary tissue removed from women for other reasons, then prompt the eggs to mature (Kolata, New York Times, 8/9).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Consumer, Labor Union, Employer Organizations Thank Administration for Adopting Meaningful Use Rule That Can Reduce Fragmentation, Improve Quality of Patient Care

WASHINGTON, DC — August 5, 2010 — A diverse group of 56 labor, employer and consumer organizations that collectively represent millions of Americans wrote to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius this week to thank the Administration for drafting a final "meaningful use" definition that provides a strong foundation for achieving better outcomes, improved patient experience and reduced costs.

The letter was organized by the National Partnership for Women & Families, and signed by the Alzheimer’s Association, American Benefits Council, Community Catalyst, Consumers Union, Employers’ Health Coalition, Microsoft, Pacific Business Group on Health, SEIU, Children’s Partnership and Xerox, among others. It praises the final rule for striking "the appropriate balance between requiring providers to make key changes in care delivery and offering them flexibility to maximize participation in the program." This will translate "into more consumers and purchasers reaping the benefits of providers effectively using electronic health records," it says.

The letter continues: "The definition’s requirements will create a noticeable difference in how patients and their caregivers experience the health care system. Rather than being solely responsible for keeping track of multiple providers, specialists, lab results and medications, and going without the information they need to be effectively engaged in their care, patients will be better able to partner with their providers in their care management and coordination. And providers who participate in the program will be better equipped to provide the best quality care to their patients by using health IT to ensure that the information they need is available at the point of care. We see these requirements as crucial stepping stones toward addressing the incredibly fragmented system that consumers and purchasers face today, and improving not only care coordination and outcomes, but also patient safety. The reductions in poor outcomes and admissions/readmissions to the hospital and emergency department resulting from these infrastructure changes will translate into significant savings for the health care system."

In the next phase of rule-making, the groups urge the Administration to transition the 2011 elements that are now optional into required elements for receiving incentive payments, incorporating measures for meaningful use that matter most to consumers and purchasers and implementing a rigorous program for monitoring and auditing information technologies supported by HITECH, such as clinical decision support and computerized physician order entry, to minimize patient safety risks.

The full letter is posted at www.nationalpartnership.org/sebelius.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Excluding Coverage for Abortion Services From High-Risk Insurance Pools is "Unnecessary & Punitive"

Statement of Judith L. Lichtman, Senior Advisor, National Partnership for Women & Families

WASHINGTON, DC — July 15, 2010 — "For the next few years, temporary insurance plans for those with pre-existing conditions will be the best and only way that millions of Americans — including many women of child-bearing age — can get health insurance coverage. It is unnecessary and punitive for the Obama Administration to adopt rules that prevent women from using their own private resources to purchase coverage for abortion services in these plans.

Congress passed no law that made this necessary, and it will mean that women with health problems — who are more likely to have high-risk pregnancies — will go without the care they need. Abortion is part of the spectrum of reproductive health services that are essential to women’s health and well-being. It is a commonly-used, legal medical procedure that should not be treated differently than other health services. We are deeply disappointed that the Administration failed to make the health and well-being of women the paramount consideration in this matter."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Testimony of Christine Bechtel before the House Committee on Ways and Means, Health Subcommittee

National Partnership Vice-President testifies at the Hearing on Efforts to Promote the Adoption and Meaningful Use of Health Information Technology

WASHINGTON, DC — July 20, 2010 — Good afternoon Mr. Chairman, Congressman Herger, and members of the subcommittee. My name is Christine Bechtel and I am Vice President of the National Partnership for Women & Families. Just over a year ago, I was also appointed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to serve as a consumer representative on the Health IT Policy Committee.

The National Partnership is a non-profit, non-partisan consumer organization with almost 40 years of experience working to make life better for women and families by promoting access to quality health care, fairness in the workplace and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family. As you know, health care is central to the well-being of women and families — it is a key determinant of their quality of life, their economic security, and their ability to thrive, prosper and participate in our society.

We are privileged to lead two important coalitions of consumer organizations dedicated to changing the way health care is organized, financed and delivered. The Consumer Partnership for eHealth (CPeH) and the Campaign for Better Care together include more than 150 consumer and patient groups working to ensure that implementation of both the HITECH Act and the health reform law result in better quality, more patient-centered care, fewer disparities and better outcomes for everyone.

Health information technology (IT) plays a critical role in achieving these goals, and I am honored to be with you today to discuss the ways that the Meaningful Use of information technology will benefit patients and their families. [...]

Read the entire testimony here »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Women’s Leader Applauds Senate Judiciary Committee Vote To Confirm Kagan, Urges All Senators from Both Parties To Vote to Confirm Her Next Week

Statement of Debra L. Ness, President, National Partnership for Women & Families 

WASHINGTON, DC — July 20, 2010 —"We are delighted that the Senate Judiciary Committee voted today to confirm Solicitor General Elena Kagan to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. She is an exceedingly well-qualified nominee with an extraordinary legal mind, a proud history of public service, a proven ability to bring together people with diverse views, and a deep, unwavering commitment to equal justice.

Kagan’s testimony before the Judiciary Committee was impressive, demonstrating a keen intellect and a thoughtful approach to legal issues. She easily persuaded all those with fair and open minds to vote to confirm her.

We hope and expect that, very soon, Kagan will become the fourth woman to serve on our highest court. We are confident she will be a superb Justice.

This is a good day for our nation. We applaud the Senate Judiciary Committee for bringing us one step closer to the day when — for the first time in history — three women will serve together on our highest court. We look forward to the full Senate vote next week, and urge all Senators of both parties to confirm this highly qualified candidate."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Equal Pay and Work/Family Policies are Bread-and-Butter Issues For America’s Families, Women’s Leader Says

Statement of Debra Ness, President, National Partnership for Women & Families

WASHINGTON, DC — July 20, 2010 — "The National Partnership for Women & Families has been a leader on work/family policies and family-friendly workplace initiatives for decades, and has fought for fair pay for all of its history. We welcome today’s announcements, not just because they bring attention to these issues, but because they position them as what they are: bread-and-butter issues that are essential to the economic security and well-being of tens of millions of working families.

At a time when more women are in the workforce than ever, families increasingly rely on women’s wages, and elder care and other caregiving responsibilities are growing, we urgently need Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Millions of working women also will benefit from the Administration’s commitment to improve data collection on wage discrimination and increase equal pay enforcement. And the Administration’s steps to collect data about work-family needs, clarify use of Family and Medical Leave for modern families, and continue the national conversation on workplace flexibility are critical steps forward for working families.

Today should be a beginning, not an end. The nation needs quick and substantial progress in creating the workplaces that middle class — and all — families need."

The National Partnership for Women & Families drafted and led the fight to pass the Family & Medical Leave Act. It is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy group dedicated to promoting fairness in the workplace, access to quality health care and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

What Do Older Patients, Families Need Most from Health Reform?

Wednesday’s "Building Better Care Forum" to Feature Lawmakers, Providers, Experts, Patients & Caregivers from Around Country

WASHINGTON, DC — July 27, 2010 — U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), award-winning author Gail Sheehy, UCLA Geriatrics Division Chief David Reuben, journalist and activist Jonathan Rauch, and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Director of Delivery System Reform Peter Lee will join patients, caregivers, health care providers and experts at the:

Building Better Care Forum:
Improving the System For Delivering Health Care to Older Adults and Their Families
8:30 AM on Wednesday, July 28, 2010
National Press Club Ballroom
529 14th Street NW, 13th Floor, Washington, D.C.
WEBCAST LIVE at www.CampaignforBetterCare.org.

The interactive forum will feature speakers from California, Connecticut, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and the Washington, D.C. area. It is sponsored by the Campaign for Better Care, a multi-year initiative working to improve health care quality, coordination and communication for older patients with multiple health problems and their family caregivers.

The event begins with breakfast at 8 AM, and the program will start promptly at 8:30 AM. It is open to media and the public. To view the webcast live, go to www.CampaignforBetterCare.org.

The Campaign for Better Care is led by the National Partnership for Women & Families, Community Catalyst and the National Health Law Program (NHeLP). It is funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nation’s Top Family Leave Expert Welcomes Vote by Key Senate Subcommittee to Provide $10 Million in Grants to Help States Adopt the Paid Leave Programs Families Urgently Need

Statement of Debra L. Ness, President, National Partnership for Women & Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. — July 28, 2010 — "The vote yesterday by the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies of the Senate Appropriations Committee to provide $10 million for competitive grants to help states pay costs for paid leave programs is a badly needed first step in bringing our nation’s antiquated leave policies into the 21st century.

This is a welcome down payment on funding to help states put in place the sensible, compassionate paid family leave programs that hard-working Americans need. The Paid Leave Fund can begin driving innovations that ultimately mean that fewer workers will have to make painful choices between providing care for their families and earning the paychecks they need to survive.

The National Partnership has championed this measure for many years because we are convinced that this start-up money will help more states adopt paid leave programs. We strongly support providing the $50 million for this program that President Obama recommended in his FY 2011 budget, and therefore urge the full Committee and Senate to maintain or increase this appropriation, and to prioritize it when this bill is considered in conference with the House.

We also are pleased that the Senate Subcommittee increased funding for some health programs, with a focus on preventing chronic diseases and $40 million allocated for medical home demonstration projects. Both of these measures can help advance the coordinated, patient-centered care that will help us realize the promise of reform."

The National Partnership for Women & Families drafted and led the fight to pass the Family & Medical Leave Act. It is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy group dedicated to promoting fairness in the workplace, access to quality health care and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"Senate Made History Today, and Our Nation Will Be Stronger as a Result," Women’s Leader Says, Applauding Vote to Confirm Kagan

Statement of Debra L. Ness, President, National Partnership for Women & Families 

WASHINGTON, DC — August 5, 2010 — "The United States Senate made history today with its bipartisan vote to confirm Elena Kagan, an indisputably well-qualified nominee, to serve as a Justice on the Supreme Court.

Elena Kagan will be a superb justice. Her presence on our highest court will maintain and strengthen our nation’s commitment to equal justice and privacy, and to fairness for women, people of color, workers, seniors and every person who may face discrimination.

This appointment is an important milestone in our journey toward equal rights for women. When she is sworn in, for the first time in history, three women will serve together on our highest court. This confirmation brings us closer to the day when it is no longer surprising to see a woman on the Supreme Court or in other positions of power. Our nation will be stronger as a result."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Women Have Tremendous Amount at Stake in Seeing Health Reform Implemented Without Delay, Consumer Advocate Says, Calling Ruling In Virginia Challenge Unfortunate, But Not the Last Word

Statement of Debra L. Ness, President, National Partnership for Women & Families

WASHINGTON, DC — August 2, 2010 — "While disappointing, today’s decision by a federal judge not to block Virginia’s challenge to health reform implementation is neither unexpected nor consequential. It means more legal maneuvers and more court costs, but it does not change the essential fact that women and families in this nation urgently need reform and the consumer protections it brings.

Without reform, women who are fighting breast or ovarian cancer, heart disease, stroke or Alzheimer’s will also have to fight insurers that drop our policies or delay or deny life-saving care.

Without reform, consumers will continue to suffer due to unscrupulous insurance practices.

Without reform, insurance companies will continue rescinding our coverage when we get sick, putting restrictive caps on our coverage when we need it most, and excluding children and adults with pre-existing conditions from their policies.

Without reform, patients will continue to suffer without the preventive care and care coordination they urgently need.

To continue this case is not good for the more than four million Virginia women — 1.6 million of them of childbearing age — who will benefit from the new law’s protections. It is not good for those of us who have pre-existing conditions or multiple chronic diseases. It is not good for the country. Attorney General Cuccinelli may think continuing this case is good for his career, but we urge him to reconsider. The status quo is simply unacceptable. The Affordable Care Act offers the solutions Americans need, and tying it up in court helps nobody."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Work/Family Expert Hails Senate Appropriations Committee Vote To Provide $10 Million to Help States Begin Paid Leave Programs

Statement of Debra L. Ness, President, National Partnership for Women & Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. — July 30, 2010 — "Right now in the United States, millions of families risk their economic stability and security when they need to care for new babies or sick family members. That may finally begin to change, now that the Senate Appropriations Committee has voted to provide $10 million for competitive grants to help states pay for paid leave programs. This is a welcome and much-needed first step in bringing our nation’s outdated leave policies into the modern era — a down payment on the work/family policies that hard-working Americans want and deserve.

The Paid Leave Fund this appropriation will support can begin driving innovations that bring us closer to the day when no worker has to make a painful choice between caring for family and earning a paycheck. The National Partnership for Women & Families has promoted this initiative for many years because we know that this start-up money makes it more likely that states will be able to create paid leave programs.

President Obama recommended $50 million for the Paid Leave Fund in his FY 2011 budget proposal. We would still like to see Congress fund it at that amount, but $10 million is a good start. We urge the full Senate to maintain or increase this appropriation, and to prioritize it when the legislation is considered in conference with the House.

We also thank the Senate Appropriations Committee for increasing funding levels for some health programs, for allocating $40 million for medical home demonstration projects and for prioritizing the prevention of chronic diseases. These measures can help advance the patient-centered, coordinated care that will help the nation realize the promise of reform."

The National Partnership for Women & Families drafted and led the fight to pass the Family & Medical Leave Act. It is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy group dedicated to promoting fairness in the workplace, access to quality health care and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Abortion Restrictions Will Unnecessarily Put Women With Health Problems at Greater Risk, Women’s Leader Says

Statement of Judith L. Lichtman, Senior Advisor, National Partnership for Women & Families

WASHINGTON, DC — July 29, 2010 — "By refusing to allow women who use the high-risk insurance pools to purchase abortion coverage with their own money, the Obama Administration is putting women with health problems, who are more likely to have high-risk pregnancies, at unnecessary risk.

For the next few years, these temporary insurance plans with be the only way that women with pre-existing medical conditions will be able to get health insurance coverage. There was no need for the Administration to adopt these regulations, no congressional action that made this necessary. Yet women will suffer as a result.

Abortion is a commonly-used, legal medical procedure that should not be treated differently than other health services."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"Building Better Care Forum" Features Lawmakers, Providers,Experts, Patients & Caregivers From Around Country Discussing What Older Patients, Families Need From Health Reform

WASHINGTON, DC — July 28, 2010 — U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), award-winning author Gail Sheehy, UCLA Geriatrics Division Chief David Reuben, journalist and activist Jonathan Rauch, and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Director of Delivery System Reform Peter Lee joined patients, caregivers, health care providers and experts here today at the "Building Better Care Forum: Improving the System For Delivering Health Care to Older Adults and Their Families."

The National Press Club event was sponsored by the Campaign for Better Care, a multi-year initiative working to improve health care quality, coordination and communication for older patients with multiple health problems and their family caregivers.

In our health care system today, older adults with multiple chronic conditions face enormous hurdles to getting the care they need. Those with five or more chronic conditions make, on average, 37 visits to 14 different doctors who prescribe 50 separate prescriptions in the course of a year. Many receive duplicative tests and procedures, different diagnoses from different physicians, and contradictory information on how to manage their conditions. They experience complications from inappropriately prescribed medications, suffer from preventable medical errors, and are frequently hospitalized for conditions that could be treated in ambulatory settings. When they are discharged from a hospital, they often go home without the information, support and follow-up they need to take care of themselves. As a result, one in 10 is readmitted to a hospital within 15 days and one in five is back in the hospital within 30 days. They and their families are left on their own to find and arrange the services they need to manage their care and stay out of the hospital or nursing home.

"The status quo is simply unacceptable. We need to reinvent our health care system so it works much better for vulnerable older patients and their family caregivers," said National Partnership for Women & Families President Debra L. Ness. "We need to help doctors, nurses and social workers work together as a team; put medical records at our fingertips; and ensure that care is coordinated so patients and families no longer have to fend for themselves during the most stressful periods of their lives. These are the goals of the Campaign for Better Care and why we are here, at this Forum, today."

The "Building Better Care Forum" featured speakers from California, Connecticut, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and the Washington, D.C. area.

The Campaign for Better Care’s policy agenda aims to ensure that the reformed health care system provides the comprehensive, coordinated, patient- and family-centered care that older adults and individuals with multiple health problems need. It is advocating for better ways of delivering care including effective care coordination, transition management, medication reconciliation, support for patients and their family caregivers, and care that is culturally and linguistically appropriate. It supports payment strategies that enhance primary care practice and reward better quality, coordination and communication among providers, patients and family caregivers. It is pressing for performance measurement that holds providers accountable and sets priorities for quality improvement. It promotes effective use of health information technologies. It is pressing for assessment of patient experience to improve care and tools that empower patients and caregivers to make fully informed decisions.

Today’s Forum was webcast live, and is available for viewing at www.CampaignforBetterCare.org.

The Campaign for Better Care is led by the National Partnership for Women & Families, Community Catalyst and the National Health Law Program (NHeLP). It is funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"Building Better Care Forum" Features Lawmakers, Providers,Experts, Patients & Caregivers From Around Country Discussing What Older Patients, Families Need From Health Reform

WASHINGTON, DC — July 28, 2010 — U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), award-winning author Gail Sheehy, UCLA Geriatrics Division Chief David Reuben, journalist and activist Jonathan Rauch, and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Director of Delivery System Reform Peter Lee joined patients, caregivers, health care providers and experts here today at the "Building Better Care Forum: Improving the System For Delivering Health Care to Older Adults and Their Families."

The National Press Club event was sponsored by the Campaign for Better Care, a multi-year initiative working to improve health care quality, coordination and communication for older patients with multiple health problems and their family caregivers.

In our health care system today, older adults with multiple chronic conditions face enormous hurdles to getting the care they need. Those with five or more chronic conditions make, on average, 37 visits to 14 different doctors who prescribe 50 separate prescriptions in the course of a year. Many receive duplicative tests and procedures, different diagnoses from different physicians, and contradictory information on how to manage their conditions. They experience complications from inappropriately prescribed medications, suffer from preventable medical errors, and are frequently hospitalized for conditions that could be treated in ambulatory settings. When they are discharged from a hospital, they often go home without the information, support and follow-up they need to take care of themselves. As a result, one in 10 is readmitted to a hospital within 15 days and one in five is back in the hospital within 30 days. They and their families are left on their own to find and arrange the services they need to manage their care and stay out of the hospital or nursing home.

"The status quo is simply unacceptable. We need to reinvent our health care system so it works much better for vulnerable older patients and their family caregivers," said National Partnership for Women & Families President Debra L. Ness. "We need to help doctors, nurses and social workers work together as a team; put medical records at our fingertips; and ensure that care is coordinated so patients and families no longer have to fend for themselves during the most stressful periods of their lives. These are the goals of the Campaign for Better Care and why we are here, at this Forum, today."

The "Building Better Care Forum" featured speakers from California, Connecticut, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and the Washington, D.C. area.

The Campaign for Better Care’s policy agenda aims to ensure that the reformed health care system provides the comprehensive, coordinated, patient- and family-centered care that older adults and individuals with multiple health problems need. It is advocating for better ways of delivering care including effective care coordination, transition management, medication reconciliation, support for patients and their family caregivers, and care that is culturally and linguistically appropriate. It supports payment strategies that enhance primary care practice and reward better quality, coordination and communication among providers, patients and family caregivers. It is pressing for performance measurement that holds providers accountable and sets priorities for quality improvement. It promotes effective use of health information technologies. It is pressing for assessment of patient experience to improve care and tools that empower patients and caregivers to make fully informed decisions.

Today’s Forum was webcast live, and is available for viewing at www.CampaignforBetterCare.org.

The Campaign for Better Care is led by the National Partnership for Women & Families, Community Catalyst and the National Health Law Program (NHeLP). It is funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

What Do Older Patients, Families Need Most from Health Reform?

Wednesday’s "Building Better Care Forum" to Feature Lawmakers, Providers, Experts, Patients & Caregivers from Around Country

WASHINGTON, DC — July 27, 2010 — U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), award-winning author Gail Sheehy, UCLA Geriatrics Division Chief David Reuben, journalist and activist Jonathan Rauch, and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Director of Delivery System Reform Peter Lee will join patients, caregivers, health care providers and experts at the:

Building Better Care Forum:
Improving the System For Delivering Health Care to Older Adults and Their Families
8:30 AM on Wednesday, July 28, 2010
National Press Club Ballroom
529 14th Street NW, 13th Floor, Washington, D.C.
WEBCAST LIVE at www.CampaignforBetterCare.org.

The interactive forum will feature speakers from California, Connecticut, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and the Washington, D.C. area. It is sponsored by the Campaign for Better Care, a multi-year initiative working to improve health care quality, coordination and communication for older patients with multiple health problems and their family caregivers.

The event begins with breakfast at 8 AM, and the program will start promptly at 8:30 AM. It is open to media and the public. To view the webcast live, go to www.CampaignforBetterCare.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Regulations Could "Help End Days When Consumers Denied Insurance Coverage Had No Recourse," Ness Says, Welcoming "New Era of Fairness and Accountability"

Statement of National Partnership for Women & Families President Debra L. Ness

WASHINGTON, DC — July 22, 2010 — "For years, Americans have all been appalled as insurers denied legitimate claims for health care. They have watched tragedies unfold as patients — with stage four breast or ovarian cancer, advanced heart disease or Parkinson’s, or other debilitating or life-threatening conditions — were unable to get the care and treatment they urgently needed because the coverage they paid for disappeared when they needed it most. They have expressed massive frustration with the endless delays and insurmountable roadblocks faced by those who tried to appeal the denials.

The regulations the Obama Administration released this morning will help end those horror stories and usher in a new era of fairness and accountability. They are an important step in restoring accountability in our insurance system.

Beginning in September, the regulations will give consumers the right to appeal health plan claim denials and rescissions through a standardized internal process and, for the first time, to an 'outside, independent decision maker,' if needed. Regardless of where they live, or what type of insurance they have, consumers will have access to a fair system for recourse if they are denied benefits offered by their coverage.

With funds from a new consumer assistance grant program, states and territories will also be able to establish and strengthen offices that will help consumers: understand their options so they can enroll in the plans that are best for them; file complaints/appeals if needed; and learn about their rights and how to take action if those rights are violated. These offices also will track complaints to facilitate enforcement of the new consumer protections.

The new regulations are especially important for women, who are the primary health care users and decision makers for their families. This is an important step toward reforming the private insurance market and providing greater protections for consumers. The promise of reform is being realized."