Sen. Cornyn & Colleagues Lead Health Reform Working Group To Tackle & Brainstorm On Solutions For Our Nation's Pressing Health Care Challenges

Press Release

Sen. Cornyn & Colleagues Lead Health Reform Working Group To Tackle & Brainstorm On Solutions For Our Nation's Pressing Health Care Challenges

Group Hears From Safeway CEO On His Successful Health Care Model For Businesses

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is helping to lead a Senate Republican Health Reform Working Group that meets regularly to discuss the most pressing areas for reform in our nation's health care system and brainstorms for solutions. Today, the Health Reform Working Group hosted the President and CEO of Safeway Inc., Steven A. Burd, who discussed successful reforms he has implemented at Safeway to improve employee-focused health care options while reducing their out-of-pocket costs. Among these reforms, Burd developed a plan that pays 100% of employees' preventive care, rewards good behavior and allows employees to take more control of their health care decisions.

"Whether insured or uninsured health care costs are rising rapidly, families are foregoing important preventive health care services, and physicians across the state and country are closing their doors because of a broken system. Congress cannot afford to delay action any longer on these serious challenges. By helping to lead the Senate Republican Health Reform Working Group, I intend to do my part to keep the discussion on health care reform on the front burner in Congress. Through this group, my colleagues and I will be exploring the root causes of the health care crisis and educating ourselves on the options for reform so that we can be active participants in Congress and with President Obama in achieving our goal of providing quality, affordable health care to all Americans. I am committed to seeking broad reforms to our nation's health care system that boost the quality of care, enhance the variety of options for all Texans, and reduce overall costs for every patient and provider. Today's guest, Mr. Burd, is an excellent resource on health care reform, and the innovative health care plan he implemented at Safeway is a successful model for businesses across the nation on how to provide cost-effective, quality care to employees."

In 2007 Mr. Burd created the Coalition to Advance Healthcare Reform (CAHR), an alliance of more than 60 companies advocating state and federal health care reform that advances market-based solutions that ensure universal access, more individual control in health care decision-making, and incentives for preventive care to improve patient care, while providing more transparency in delivery systems and administrative cost efficiencies.

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