I am grateful and give thanks to all who have joined in CodeBlueNow! these past five years.  We have had numerous articles published my many participants; we held and participated in three successful Town Halls in Washington and Oregon; three of the finalists from our “Build An American Health System” contest have published books—Wayne Anthony, MDiv, MBA;  Ivan Miller, PhD and Joan Richardson, MD. 

Let’s all give thanks, in advance, over the opportunity for real, meaningful reform.  We have a pragmatic President-elect who will work toward a centrist health care reform.  His appointment of Senator Daschle to head Health and Human Services is a key indicator that he will let the Senate take the lead in passing reform.  Kennedy is crafting bipartisan legislation for reform and Senator Baucus has circulated a White Paper outlining his ideas for reform and moves away from employer-based health care to individual mandates.  And, in what at least signals a willingness to be at the table, even the American Health Insurance Plans, say they would support Universal Coverage through an individual mandate. 

So, let us all be grateful for this alignment on the eve to the upcoming fight for health care reform.  The outcome is by no means certain, but like a General planning the onslaught, I think, now for the first time, we have the right leader, strategist and advocates in the right places.  Let’s hope this is finally, the right time. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Thank you all for giving me the ride of my life!  Hang in there with us as we paint the picture for reform in the year ahead. 

Kathleen

Having followed health care reform for 30 years now, for the first time I see a ray of hope on the horizon. 

The traditional health care reform debate has been trapped between two competing extremes: single-payer vs. marketplace solution.  October 4^th, Obama put those two choices to rest. 

With the economic bailout, tax supported health care is not an option. And few would now hold up the marketplace anymore as our solution to health care.  This means we have the rare opportunity to find the middle ground that our work shows the public so clearly wants.

We are largely a pragmatic people who want practical solutions.  What we have found at CodeBlueNow! is that you get the best from the American public when you ask them to solve a problem.  We started CodeBlueNow! five years ago to engage the American public in designing a health care system.  Those findings are now reflected in our Voters’ Health Care Platform. 

More consensus exists than we have been told in the past by the parties or single-solution advocacy groups.  We need to focus on that consensus and press forward with a centrist solution to our nation’s more intractable problem.

Obama offers a fresh new voice.  Please let us not get sidetracked by the dead-end conversations of the past.  It’s time for a new way. 

Cheers and more later.  Kathleen