Consumer voices sought on health-care panel and info on how to contact Gov's office

[Derechos]

Richmond, Va. --The composition of Virginia's new health-care advisory panel is causing some consumer advocates heartburn.

Gov. Bob McDonnell's council is tasked with helping the state prepare for implementing the massive federal health-care reform and also with overseeing a broad inspection of the state's system of care.

The 24 people doing that work include health-care professionals, insurance executives, legislators and members of the business community. Missing at the table, some say, are the consumers.

"The people who provide the services have one perspective and the people who use the services have another perspective," said Sarah Williams, a Bristol resident who supported the federal health-care legislation. "I don't think that with a one-sided panel that the consumer interest will be reflected."

Williams recently wrote a letter to the editor of her newspaper calling for consumers to be added to the Virginia Health Reform Initiative Advisory Council -- a cry echoed in other corners of the state.

"I understand that the administration wanted it to consist largely of people with day-to-day expertise on implementation and health-care delivery, but it seems like they're really missing the mark with not having uninsured and underinsured people who have not been able to get care as part of the panel from the get-go," said Mira Signer, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Virginia.

"Those are the people who can really describe very accurately what's really wrong with the system, what's missing, what really needs to be addressed and what works well."

Dr. Bill Hazel, secretary of health and human resources, serves as the panel's chairman. He said yesterday that he thinks the administration has done a thorough job of bringing together people with different perspectives, including that of the patient.

Everyone at the table, be it health-care executives or the secretary himself, are patients and have family members who have to navigate the system, he noted.

"This is about making the system work better for everybody," Hazel said. "The system is very complicated and the political blocks to improving it are going to come from people with vested interests, and they're the ones that need to be there and we have to get all of those on the table in a situation where they can be addressed and discussed."

Virginia Organizing, a liberal advocacy group, is mobilizing its grass roots around the state, urging people like Williams to write letters or to contact the governor's office. The group also wants to set up meetings with the five legislators on the council.

"While we are very disappointed by the panel's makeup, we will be taking every opportunity possible to make sure that consumers can weigh in on the panel," said Janice "Jay" Johnson, chairwoman of Virginia Organizing.

Additional people will be asked to serve on one of the council's six task forces to drill into more specific issues, Hazel said; all of those meetings will be open and the public will be given an opportunity to speak.

But hearing from people in a public forum and having them at the table are different, advocates insist.

"This is a critical perspective that needs to be at the table where decisions will be made. Providers, insurance companies and academics are there. Consumers have vital interests too," said Jill Hanken, staff attorney with the Virginia Poverty Law Center.

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/aug/24/hlth24-ar-469712/

Virginia Organizing is asking Virginians to call Gov. McDonnell's office to demand that consumers are protected during the implementation of the new healthcare reform bill. See below.

Your efforts and energy have made a huge difference in holding the McDonnell administration accountable to regular people.

Please take a moment to keep the pressure on by calling Governor McDonnell at:
[phone]

Tell Governor McDonnell that:

· There should be a consumer on the Virginia Health Reform Initiative Advisory Council. And please get your friends and neighbors to call, too.

· Consumers like yourself know first hand what is wrong with the health care system and should have a seat at the table!

· Putting hospital and big insurance CEOs in charge of implementing the federal health care bill which they vehemently opposed makes no sense at all.


If you have not done so already, please write a letter to the editor of your local paper, too. And thanks for all that you do to fight for a more just Virginia.


Joe Szakos