Panel seeks answers to health-care problems
Orlando Sentinel
Erin Cox
Sentinel Staff Writer
January 23, 2006
Wanted: plans to provide affordable health care to every American.
A forum to collect ideas to remodel health care is scheduled Tuesday at Leu Gardens in Orlando. Organizers want to convene thousands of people in meetings from Miami to Seattle during the next nine months.
Congress charged the Citizens' Health Care Working Group to present a plan to President Bush and Congress this fall. Tuesday's gathering is one of 30 brainstorm sessions to harvest ideas from Americans.
"We're really looking for bold ideas," said working-group member Montye Conlan. "We're not looking for little piecemeal reform around the edges. We need to look at this in a systemic sort of way."
At least 150 people have registered for the four-hour meeting, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Anyone can register to attend at www.citizens healthcare.gov.
The group is turning to the public for solutions. Local agencies such as the Winter Park Health Foundation help fund the meetings.
Conlan, a 52-year-old disabled elementary-school teacher from Ormond Beach, represents consumers.
Conlan lost her job and health insurance after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999. Eventually she became poor enough to qualify for Medicaid and now also uses Medicare.
She has struggled enough that she wants to change the system.
"It was just such a rough process that I've devoted myself to help others," Conlan said. "It seems like they put up all these barricades to get access."
Erin Cox can be reached at ecox@orlandosentinel.com or 352-742-5926.
© Copyright (c) 2006, Orlando Sentinel