"Health Care Commission Presents Recommendations to Hagel"

Here is a press release from Chuck Hagel's Senate office regarding the health care panel he put together last year:

February 2nd, 2007 - OMAHA, NE - The Health Care Commission empaneled by U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) today presented its recommendations for reform of America’s health care system in a press conference at Creighton University. Hagel empaneled the Commission in February of last year with a mandate to focus on developing recommendations for an accessible, affordable, sustainable and quality health care system for the 21st century. The Commission brought together key professionals and leaders from Nebraska’s and the nation’s health care fields. Hagel asked them to provide him with recommendations within a year.

“I hear about health care issues from Nebraskans every day. It is an issue that touches the lives of every American. I am grateful to these highly respected health care professionals who have volunteered their time, energy and expertise to this project over the past 11 months. I asked them to give me their most honest assessment of what should be done to reform our health care system and that is what they have done. The Commission has developed creative and important ideas to help meet America’s health care needs in the 21st century. I look forward to reviewing their recommendations and using them as a basis from which to craft legislation that I intend to introduce in this Congress,” Hagel said.

Charles Marr, founding CEO of Alegent Health in Omaha, served as the Commission’s Chairman. “I thank our talented and dedicated Commission members who have created a new vision for accessible and sustainable health care in America,” Marr said.

The Commission focused on all facets of health care, including health care costs and access to reliable health care. The Commission met eleven times in order to produce the report presented to Hagel.