U-M to host town hall meeting on health care

Updated 11:00 AM March 13, 2006

U-M to host town hall meeting on health care

By Colleen Newvine
News Service

U-M will team up with nearly two dozen colleges and universities around the nation to host a high-tech version of an old-fashioned town hall democracy on one of the nation's most pressing issues—the cost, effectiveness and accessibility of health care.

Using the Internet, satellite and telephones, groups gathered simultaneously at universities around the country will share their thoughts in real time about how to change today's health care system to make it work for all Americans. Participants watching via the Web can share thoughts and questions, as well.

"What is Your Health Worth? A National Conversation on Health Care," will run 6:30-9:30 p.m. March 22, with a live Web cast from 7-9 p.m. at www.umich.edu/healthmeeting.

U-M is coordinating the event in conjunction with the national Citizens' Health Care Working Group, a 15-member group formed by Congress to find out what the public thinks about the accessibility, cost and quality of health care, and turning the input into policy recommendations for the president and Congress.

"What we're doing has never been done before," says Catherine McLaughlin, professor of health management and policy at the School of Public Health who conceived the idea as a member of the working group. "We are excited about giving people from around the country a chance to share their thoughts with members of the working group and with each other all at once, encouraging an ongoing thoughtful, informed conversation among all Americans that will help us develop strong recommendations for the president and the Congress."

The Association of Schools of Public Health and the Big Ten Conference are co-sponsoring the event.

"It is so important to give people an opportunity to speak their minds about health care. The United States spends at least $1,800 more per person on health care than any other developed country, but there are still millions of people who do not have access to the care they really need," says President Mary Sue Coleman, co-chair of the Institute of Medicine's Committee on the Consequences of Uninsurance. "This is an issue that urgently needs Americans' attention."

U-M will transmit the proceedings via satellite to public meetings at all the Big 10 schools, plus the campuses of 11 additional schools of public health around the country. Audiences will have the opportunity to share their input electronically with panelists in Ann Arbor, and their questions and comments will inform the working group's recommendations to Congress.

The public can watch the proceedings via Web-streaming and offer comments and questions by e-mail at www.umich.edu/healthmeeting.

The event will begin with brief remarks from health care experts followed by an open forum. Panelists will include Coleman; McLaughlin; working group members Pat Maryland, president of St. Vincent Hospitals and Health Services Inc. in central Indiana, and Deborah Stehr, health care advocate who serves as full-time care-giver for her adult son, Jonathan, who has cerebral palsy; and Kenneth Warner, SPH dean.

The Webcast will kick off two weeks of online discussions running from March 22 to April 5. Those interested in the nation's health care can take their issues, comments and recommendations to the online discussion forums or start their own blog at www.citizenshealthcare.gov, under "Communicate."

U-M to host town hall meeting on health care

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