Health Care Reform is Under Way
Rising health care costs, increasing numbers of uninsured and underinsured individuals,
and disparities in health care access and quality have created an emerging national
consensus that the health care system is broken and must be fixed now. Federal health
care reform is on a fast track and President Obama is awaiting a bill from Congress
as early as this fall.
WSNA and the American Nurses Association (ANA) are proud to support the goal of
quality, affordable health care for everyone in 2009. As frontline health care providers,
registered nurses are acutely aware of the consequences when people do not have
access or cannot afford quality health care.
Speak Up & Be Heard!
It is critical that RN’s voices are heard on health care reform. Registered nurses
constitute the largest group of health care providers and our unique perspectives
and expertise must be represented. WSNA and ANA are proudly representing the nursing
profession at healthcare summits and forums, and working with nurses, lawmakers,
the Obama Administration, healthcare coalitions, the media and other participants
to deliver nursing's message, develop solutions and take action.
Click on ‘Action Items’ to see what you can do to add your voice to the fight for
health care reform. Check out the upcoming events in your area, send an email to
your elected officials, or write a letter to the editor of your newspaper.
Washington State’s Congressional delegation needs to hear from nurses about the
need for federal reform.
WSNA Support for a Public Option
WSNA has consistently supported and advocated for a system that guarantees every
single person in this country has access to quality care in a timely fashion by
the most appropriate health care provider at an affordable cost. WSNA believes
that a plan with a ‘public option’ will give us the best opportunity to meet the
health care needs of this country. A public option will compete with
private insurers to create a more competitive insurance marketplace and drive down
costs. A public option would be open to any individual, increasing coverage for
those with pre-existing conditions or other factors that make it difficult to receive
private insurance. Check out the ‘More Info’ page for a detailed explanation of
the public plan.
WSNA and ANA are proudly representing the nursing profession at healthcare summits
and forums, and working with nurses, lawmakers, the Obama Administration, healthcare
coalitions, the media and other participants to deliver nursing's message,
develop solutions and take action. Find out more by clicking on ‘State Activities’
or ‘Federal Activities’
WSNA Core Beliefs on Health Care Reform
- Providing timely and appropriate preventative care will always be our best and most
cost effective health care solution. People must have access to primary care, public
health services and regular, preventive medical services so they are not forced
to wait until their health is in serious jeopardy and the cost of care increases
exponentially.
- For any health care delivery to be effective, fair and affordable there must be
an adequate supply of well-educated, well-distributed, and well-utilized registered
nurses. We must increase the supply of RNs in order to meet the health care needs
of the U.S. population. WSNA has been addressing the nursing shortage through a
comprehensive effort that encompasses both recruitment and retention of nurses.
We will continue to work on this issue and work to educate our elected officials
about the critical role of RNs and ARNPs in our health care system. This includes
working with our Congressional delegation to include nurses in efforts to increase
the primary care workforce.
- We cannot afford to wait for meaningful health care reform. Investing now in quality
care for all ensures that we will emerge from this downturn with a healthy and vibrant
workforce ready to take on the challenge of rebuilding our country’s economy. We
must act now and seize the energy and momentum for change.
