Power to the People In the Health Care Debate

The right of the American people to voice their opinion is a Constitutional right and the cornerstone of democracy.

As we confront health care reform, never has the need for the American people to be heard been more important.

On Thursday, President Obama will host a select group of Congressional members, from both sides of the aisle, to share and discuss health care reform in our nation. This event can either usher in a new age of transparency and true tri-partisanship or show that petty grudges and backroom deals control our government, with detrimental consequences.

There is however a key component missing. Americans want to share their ideas directly. While the average citizen may not have a seat at the table on Thursday, in America, power ultimately rests with the people. And the American people have the ability to change everything provided their voices are heard.

For this very reason, the Center for Health Transformation is hosting the “American People’s Online Health Summit.” This an ongoing conversation, on our blog, is leading up to the White House summit on Thursday, Feb. 25. Every day there is a unique topic with a panel of experts commenting and responding to America’s needs; your needs. What questions do you want answered. What do you believe needs to be discussed at the White House summit?

Featuring notable health care leaders, including former FDA Commissioner and former National Cancer Institute Dr. Andy von Eschenbach; former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle; former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D.; the blog provides possible solutions for transforming our health care system. More importantly, the blog is about people; Americans who want health care to be affordable, accessible and appropriate to them.

At the Center for Health Transformation, we have moved the needle forward bringing solutions to some of our greatest challenges in providing the best health care in the world. Transparency, elimination of fraud, tort reform, FDA modernization, health information technology, quality of care and personalized medicine are some of the areas where we are leaders for decision makers and truly, for all Americans.

CHT is based on the following premise: Small changes or reactionary fixes to separate pieces of the current system have not and will not work. We need a system-wide transformation. Unlike other alliances, CHT unites stakeholders across the spectrum (providers, employers, vendors, trade associations, disease groups, think tanks) and government leaders at both the state and federal level to drive transformation according to a shared vision and key principles. At the core of CHT is the individual; the American.

Americans are at center stage with a chance to share their thoughts and be heard. We encourage everyone to participate, every day, in the “American People’s Online Health Summit” and tune in on Thursday for the televised White House summit and CHT’s live blogging event.

Newt Gingrich is a Fox News contributor, former Speaker of the House and Founder of the Center for Health Transformation. Nancy Desmond is CEO of the Center for Health Transformation. To participate in the CHT summit visit www.healthtransformation.net.

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