Healthcare Poll

October 29, 2005

Deliberation Week was capped off with a day-long Citizens Forum in which a random sample of community members from Allegheny County will discuss, deliberate, then take a Deliberative Opinion Poll on Healthcare.

The general topics discussed and surveyed related to healthcare costs, the impact of the reduction of federal Medicaid funds, services for the uninsured, health care for the elderly, better healthcare practices, and the impact of the advances in treatment.

State Budget Cuts and Pennsylvania's Medicaid Program

The goal of the Medicaid Program is to provide services for low-income people in Pennsylvania. As the costs of Medicaid continue to rise, the State faces the possibility of major cuts to Medicaid in order to control the budget.

Although the States must meet minimum requirements to qualify for federal funds, they have considerable leeway to structure their own Medicaid programs. Our State can choose among several unattractive options: appropriate more money, tighten eligibility rules, reduce coverage, and/or cut reimbursement rates. A goal of this local deliberative poll is to assess mechanisms for implementing cuts that will minimize harm to the residents of Pennsylvania.

A Local Initiative: A Commitment to Quality of Care and Cost Reduction

We are a known leader in healthcare research and treatment advances. The region is also a known leader in determining how the quality of care affects the cost of care. The Pittsburgh Regional Healthcare Initiative (PRHI) has inaugurated a plan to reduce in-hospital infection rates and, in so doing, improve the quality of care across a whole range of activities. We need to discuss this initiative and assess its potential to impact the national debate on healthcare and healthcare costs.

Agenda for Saturday, October 29

Registration

Small Group Discussion

Expert Panel