06/30: HEALTH CARE FORUM Understanding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

HEALTH CARE FORUM; Understanding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

WHEN: Saturday, June 30, 2-4 PM
WHERE: First Unitarian Church, 3701 Carlisle NE
Purpose: The Forum is intended to increase understanding of the Affordable Care Act. Our health care system continues to struggle! We have 50 million people without health insurance. As a nation, we pay more for our health care than other country, and have less to show for it. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act emerged as a serious attempt to respond to our challenges. Because of its complexity, most people do not fully understand it. However, it is of critical importance that we all comprehend and be able to utilize new directions.
Format: Four speakers with expertise in various areas of the new health program will summarize their areas, followed by an hour of questions. The speakers are: Dan Derksen, M.D. (Workforce Issues), Nandini Kuehn, Ph.D. (Health Economics), Derrick Nelson, M.D. (Rural Health Care), and State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino (Public/Private Interface).
Questions: will be submitted in writing, either in advance or on cards available during the Forum. References to readily available information will be provided.
Sponsorship: The Forum is sponsored by Progressive Democrats of America, Central New Mexico Chapter in collaboration with other organizations (List available at the Forum)

THE IMPORTANCE OF DISCUSSING THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
A health care forum will be held June 30, 2-4 PM at the First Unitarian Church on Carlisle and Commanche, focused on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act(ACA). While the Supreme Court may act before that date, it is likely that much of the Act will remain intact if not the whole. It is of great importance that we all understand the Act in as much detail as we can, for the following reasons:

1] The ACA is, at present, the law of the land
2] While maintaining the health insurance industry largely unaffected, it contains a myriad of very positive components
3] It represents a meaningful step towards universal health coverage

Some of the very positive sections of the ACA deal with:
1] Preventive practices focused on legitimate and reachable goals
2] Improving access to primary health care services, in rural and urban settings
3] Improve the ratio of primary care providers to specialists
4] Using technology to improve communication between health care resources and patients
5] Enhancement of the effort to use evidence-based medical practice and procedures
6] Channeling and conserving medical technological devices
7] Leveling the playing field in terms of coverage by health insurance companies
8] Deny exclusion of patients with pre-existent illnesses
9] And many other sections

The Forum is being sponsored by Progressive Democrats of America, Central New Mexico Chapter, as a public service.