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Secretary Burwell: Better, smarter health care delivery system necessary
During a public address at the New American Foundation on Thursday, HHS Secretary Sylvia Matthews Burwell discussed common interests among Congress and the American people regarding values and priorities for the US health care system.
Burwell discussed the importance of Congress to work together to accomplish a better, smarter and healthier health care delivery system.
“I have long believed that across the globe, regardless of your nationality or your financial status, we all basically have the same desires for our children: to live healthy and productive lives,” she said. “… People who share common interests and common dreams ought to be able to find common ground.”
Burwell said there are ample opportunities and responsibilities for change in health care in the New Year, citing Medicaid as one example.
“There is a general consensus across the United States that Medicaid expansion is good for the people and economies of their states,” she said.
Other critical areas in health care that allow for common ground opportunities include improving the quality of care received while spending US dollars more wisely; reducing substance abuse disorders and deaths from overdose; strengthening global health security; reaffirming American leadership in research, innovation and science; and building an innovation economy.
“Our health care system is on the threshold of both positive and transformational change. There are opportunities that flow from innovation in science and medicine that are being advanced by American scientists and researchers — many of these innovations are redefining the boundaries of progress and at the same time are opening the promise of a new innovation economy.”
Burwell added that, despite continued efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the law is working — millions more Americans have access to quality, affordable health care, some even for the first time.
“I have been told by [the American people] that they are not concerned with the next headline, but are concerned with the next generation. They want [Congress] to stop the back and forth, move forward and focus on the substance.”
The public address was hosted by the New America Foundation, a nonprofit, non-partisan foundation aimed at bridging the gap between the public, private and civic sectors in regards to technology, policy and politics.
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