"In testimony today before the Senate Finance Committee's Health Reform Summit, Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Ben Bernanke made important and insightful observations about the cost of health care in America; the need for a mix of policies to address how care is delivered and paid for; and the impact of the nation's 47 million uninsured on the gaps in the quality of care. We completely agree with Mr. Bernanke that our health care system is a public - private partnership, and solutions must be viewed broadly because no single set of reforms will address all concerns.
"Representing a company that has been very active in raising awareness and proposing targeted solutions to these issues, I applaud Mr. Bernanke's candid comments. Clearly, we as a nation can do better to ensure that everyone gets high quality and affordable health care."
Last week, Williams was asked to testify before the Senate Finance Committee in a hearing focused on the uninsured and the delivery of health care in America. In his testimony, he noted that the U.S. health care system is phenomenally advanced and that the competitive marketplace has made it possible for Americans to enjoy routine and rapid access to much needed care. He said that solutions in the future must be rooted in building upon the existing strengths of our system.
"Aetna has strongly held views on the key elements needed to transform health care through an effort that combines the best of what the public and private sectors have to offer," said Williams. "By focusing on the interrelated areas of cost, quality and access, we can create a system where everyone has access to high-quality, affordable health care."
Aetna's detailed To Your Health! proposal seeks to build on the best of private sector innovation, while working to preserve and enhance the public sector safety net. It is designed to serve as a framework for sensible policy action and reflects Aetna's willingness to serve as a resource in the continuing health care debate. The plan's 10 points focus on four areas - getting and keeping everyone covered; maintaining the employer-based system and exporting its strengths to make the individual market function better; reorienting the system toward prevention, value and high-quality health care; and using market incentives to improve coverage, drive down costs and make the system more consumer oriented.
The full plan and testimony can be accessed at:
http://www.aetna.com/news/2008/To_Your_Health_Aetna_Proposal_for_Health_Care_System_Transformation062008.pdf
http://www.aetna.com/news/2008/Testimony_of_Ronald_A_Williams062008.pdf
About Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 37.3 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. www.aetna.com.