Guiding Principles

Monday, March 18, 2013 02:41 PM

Colorado Medical Society
Physicians’ Congress for Health Care Reform
Guiding Principles for Health System Reform

Preamble

The health care system in Colorado is broken and the entire system needs to be reformed. Working on only one part will cause problems in other areas. Everything must be considered. Those that deliver health care must focus on improving health care quality and safety in order to assure optimal outcomes. Those that fund health care must focus on patient oriented, quality driven and community centric interventions. Those that deliver, finance and utilize health care must share stewardship of finite resources. Fixing the system is necessary not only to improve the individual and collective health of Coloradans, but also to remain economically competitive in the global market.

• Coverage – Health care coverage for Coloradans should be universal, continuous, portable and mandatory.
• Benefits – An essential benefits package should be uniform, with the option to obtain additional benefits.
• Delivery system – The system must ensure choice of physician and preserve patient/physician relationships. The system must focus on providing care that is safe, timely, efficient, effective, patient-centered and equitable.
• Administration and governance – The system must be simple, transparent, accountable, efficient and effective in order to reduce administrative costs and maximize funding for patient care. The system should be overseen by a governing body that includes regulatory agencies, payers, consumers and caregivers, and is accountable to the citizens.
• Financing – Health care coverage should be equitable, affordable and sustainable. The financing strategy should strive for simplicity, transparency and efficiency. It should emphasize personal responsibility as well as societal obligations, due to the limited nature of resources available for health care.

Approved by the CMS House of Delegates at the 2006 Annual Meeting