We keep hearing about citizens feeling left out of the loop and demanding Town Hall Meetings etc. Everyone seems to think that Congress or Obama came up with the 1000 pages of The Heath Care Reform Bill out of the Blue, with no checks and balances from the public. Nothing can be further from the truth.

"The Stakeholder Discussions are just one component of a larger effort to dialogue with the American people. During the transition, more than 3,000 Community Discussions were held across the country."

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Bringing Everyone to the Table: White House Health Care Stakeholder Discussions

“This is not a Democratic or Republic issue, it’s an American issue. It is the single biggest challenge facing this country, facing this economy, and it is our President’s number one priority.”

– HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, 5/5/09

Health Reform is one of President Obama’s top priorities of 2009. However, before passing comprehensive health reform, the President recognizes that it is important that everyone have a voice in the process. That is why he asked Nancy-Ann DeParle, Director of the White House Office of Health Reform to host a series of stakeholder discussions at the White House.

Over the past several weeks, Nancy-Ann DeParle has met with small business leaders, Americans from rural parts of the country, and representatives from the medical community. The goal, to engage the American people, listen to their concerns, and generate ideas that will help bring down the skyrocketing cost of health care and expand coverage to all Americans.

The Stakeholder Discussions are just one component of a larger effort to dialogue with the American people. During the transition, more than 3,000 Community Discussions were held across the country. The recommendations were systematically analyzed to compile the report, Americans Speak on Health Reform. Continuing in the transparent tradition of the White House Forum on Health Reform and the Regional Forums that followed, the Administration is holding White House Health Care Stakeholder Discussions.

White House Stakeholder Discussion Groups

On Thursday, 7/2 Nancy-Ann DeParle, Director of the White House Office of Health Reform held a roundtable discussion on primary care and health reform. The discussion was part of the administration’s continuing series of White House Stakeholder Discussion Groups.