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Health Care that Works for All Americans

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It's Up To You

What's next in the national discussion about our health care? This is your chance to be part of an important debate. Use the resources of this web site to learn about our health care system.

What happens next, depends on you.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 2006

Contact:
Jennifer Muhm
(206)577-1806
JenniferM@whf.org

Seattle Hosts Citizens' Health Care Community Forum:

Helping to Shape the Future of America's Health Care

Washington Health Foundation
February 25, 2006

Seattle - Washington residents today had a unique opportunity to participate in the Citizens' Health Care Community Forum at the Seattle Center. This forum was sponsored by the Citizens' Health Care Working Group. The results of this discussion will be reported to Congress and the President in the form of recommendations for the future of the nation's health care system.

"The Washington Health Foundation is proud to partner with the Citizens' Health Care Working Group to bring a diverse group of individuals together around health improvement," said Greg Vigdor, President & CEO of the Washington Health Foundation (WHF). "This community forum has provided an opportunity for Washingtonians to share their thoughts and values around health care with Congress - and hopefully will effect positive change at the national level."

This forum builds on the work that WHF has already accomplished in Washington state. In the summer of 2003, WHF held Community Roundtables in every county across the state, bringing together diverse groups of people to discuss their health care values. Then, those values were distilled and presented to Washington's state and local leaders at the WHF Leadership Summit in October 2003.

Using those values as a springboard, in 2004 WHF kicked off the Healthiest State in the Nation (HSIN) Campaign. Today, the HSIN Campaign continues to engage businesses, the government, non-profit organizations, schools, and individuals in building Healthy Systems and promoting Healthy Living to help make Washington the Healthiest State in the Nation.

The Citizens' Health Care Community Forum is an important contribution to the HSIN Campaign. By fostering discussions about health care on a local level, then communicating those views to Congress and the President, the state of Washington is staying actively engaged in the federal dialogue about the future of health care. Widespread participation by Washingtonians on a local, state, and national level is essential to the primary goal of the HSIN Campaign - to make Washington the Healthiest State in the Nation.

The Citizens' Health Care Working Group is a non-partisan organization authorized by the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. More information is available at www.citizenshealthcare.gov.

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The non-profit Washington Health Foundation is leading the way in making Washington the Healthiest State in the Nation by building Healthy Systems and promoting Healthy Living-through involvement of providers, leaders and local communities in the largest civic engagement project for health in state history.