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The summit is titled, “Are We Prepared for Changes?” and will bring together leaders in the public and private sectors, including representatives from health care, state government, labor and civic organizations.
The summit will run from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free. Registration and a continental breakfast begins at 7 a.m. The program starts at 7:30.
The goal of the summit is to provide background on the status of health care in Nebraska and to generate a commitment to changes in health care delivery, finance and outcomes in Nebraska. Organizers said they hope the current crisis in health care finance can move leaders to take action within Nebraska to influence national policy.
Speakers will include:
- Nebraska State Sen. Joel Johnson;
- Paul Pietzch, Iowa Health Buyers Alliance;
- Catherine Hess, National Academy for State Health Policy; and
- David Palm, Ph.D., director of the Office of Public Health in the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
Creighton’s Richard O’Brien, M.D. and UNMC’s John Benson, Jr., M.D., co-chairs of the Nebraska Medical Association Health Care Reform Task Force, will present a task force report on behalf of the Nebraska Medical Association.
The report is a comprehensive plan that focuses on transforming how health care services are organized, financed and delivered. In addition, Laura Redoutey, president of the Nebraska Hospital Association, will provide an overview on the framework for reform of the NHA.
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Johnson, who conceived the idea for the summit, said as chairman of the Nebraska Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, he has met with many national and international health policy and other health experts.
“I’ve seen what other states have started doing in taking an active role in finding solutions to the health care crisis,” Johnson said. “I think it’s time we begin that discussion as well.”
The percentage of the United States’ gross national product consumed by health care continues to rise to a point where the cost of health care is not sustainable, he said.
“With Nebraska having a growing elderly population and an increase in obesity rates in our younger generation, the outlook is such that we must begin a comprehensive discussion of all stakeholders as to how Nebraska is best-suited to answer this challenge,” Johnson said. “It is imperative that we come to an understanding of how we may best provide excellent health care at a price Nebraska can afford.”
Keith Mueller, Ph.D., interim dean of the UNMC College of Public Health, said he hopes continuing dialogue and action will follow the summit.
“We’re really trying to create a public-private partnership initiative and a continuing forum that generates a lot of specific ideas and activities statewide,” he said. “The context is if you really want the appropriate health care delivery system for the 21st century, you’ve got to deal with all of these issues all at once.”
An estimated 150,000 to 190,000 people in Nebraska don’t have health insurance, Dr. Mueller said. Nationwide, about 47 million Americans don’t have insurance.
“We want to discuss the problems in the current system and try to describe a health care system that is focused on patient care with measurable quality outcomes, that is affordable to the consumer who buys the care, and that is accessible to everybody regardless of their personal circumstances,” Dr. Mueller said.
Dr. Asher said health care in America in many ways is envied throughout the world.
“Because we have such wonderful resources to improve the lives of our patients, it is particularly frustrating that so many lack access to even the basics,” he said. “For far too many, there is no primary care, no coordination of care, no preventive care or attention to wellness. Mental health care is even more fragmented and disconnected.
“Simply stated, it is a schizophrenic health care system that costs too much, does too much for some and too little for others. We can do better, which is why the NMA along with others is choosing to focus on ways to improve our health care system.”
All Nebraskans have a stake in the debate, Redoutey said.
“Only when we collectively embrace the challenges of an unequal payment system, an unhealthy population with increasing chronic diseases and states that are unable to sustain the levels of current funding will we be able to begin the hard work of restructuring our current system,” she said.
Sponsors of the summit are UNMC, the Nebraska Medical Association, Nebraska Hospital Association, Alegent Health, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska. The summit is hosted by the UNMC College of Public Health.