The National Coalition on Health Care is the nation's largest and most broadly representative alliance working to improve America's health care. The Coalition, which was founded in 1990 and is non-profit and rigorously non-partisan, is comprised of more than 70 organizations, employing or representing about 150 million Americans. Members are united in the belief that we need – and can achieve – better, more affordable health care for all Americans.

The Coalition brings together large and small businesses, the nation's largest labor, consumer, religious and primary care provider groups, and the largest health and pension funds. Distinguished leaders from academia, business, and government have also pledged their support of the Coalition's efforts. The Coalition's Honorary Co-Chairmen are former Presidents George Bush and Jimmy Carter, and its Co-Chairmen are former Governor Robert D. Ray (R-IA) and former Congressman Paul G. Rogers (D-FL). Its President is Henry E. Simmons, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P.

Coalition Principles

Our health care system is changing rapidly, and not always for the better. Our nation faces three critical and interconnected problems: There are serious concerns about the quality of health care; costs continue to rise; and there is a large and increasing number of people without health insurance.

The National Coalition on Health Care's diverse membership is united in support of the following principles as a framework for improving our nation's health care:

• Health care coverage for all.
• Cost management.
• Improvement of health care quality and safety.
• Equitable financing.
• Simplified administration.

Health care coverage for all is needed to assure quality of care, to improve the health status of Americans, and to enable us to control costs and to simplify the system. It is an essential social policy goal.

Cost management and equitable financing are critical to attaining a workable, affordable, and sustainable health care system. They are also prerequisites to providing health insurance coverage for all. If the costs of health care can be contained and equitably distributed, necessary health care services can be made available within the reach of all. If the costs of health care cannot be contained and equitably distributed, the negative implications and outcomes for our country will be enormous.

Improvement of health care quality and safety must be the goal of all health interventions so that we can assure optimal outcomes for the resources expended.

Equitable financing is a central requirement of any system that seeks to provide and sustain health insurance for all. Currently, the insured and many employers are forced to pay more than they should in order to compensate for the costs of caring for the uninsured. Cost shifting of this sort has contributed to the deterioration of public support for our current health care system and to the drop in employment-based coverage. Universal coverage cannot be achieved or sustained without equitable financing.

Simplified administration is essential to reduce costs and create a more efficient health care system. A less complex administrative system will minimize needless costs, be more user-friendly, and enable precious health care dollars to go toward improved health care, not bureaucracy.

These are the five guiding principles for which the National Coalition on Health Care stands and that are essential for successful reform. We are committed to achieving these goals.

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