NHC UPDATE
Health Reform and Health Workforce -June 2009
In its continuing effort to provide a united voice for people with chronic diseases and disabilities, the National Health Council submitted two sets of comments to the Senate Finance Committee in response to their recent Policy Options papers “Transforming the Health Care Delivery System: Proposals to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Health Care Costs” and “Policy Options for Expanding Health Care Coverage.” The NHC’s comments are posted on the Policy Issues page of the NHC website.
Many of the NHC’s Five Principles of Health Care Reform were addressed in the Policy Options papers. The NHC’s comments strongly encouraged Congress to also address long-term support and services, and how patient care could be advanced by expanding care management options and eliminating or reducing out-of-pocket expenses for people with chronic conditions.
If policymakers approve legislation to cover everyone, an estimated 50 million individuals will be added to the health care system. An aging population and greater longevity also contribute to the demand placed on the current system.
Recognizing these facts, the National Health Council is seeking proposals from consultants to conduct research in the form of a literature review on the nation’s health care workforce under universal coverage and its potential impact on patients.
Every sector of the health care workforce will likely need to adjust to meet the needs of new patients added to the health care system. Already the nation faces a shortage of health care professionals; the shortages will presumptively affect a spectrum of health care providers from traditional positions such as primary care physicians, nurses, and pharmacists to nontraditional positions such as social workers, navigators, and case managers. Demand for health care will increase and supply must follow with the right mix of care providers.
If the needs of the actual patient cannot be satisfied, the promise of universal coverage will be defeated. Policymakers are already beginning to address the need for workforce stimulus as they debate universal coverage. However, research outcomes on workforce vary greatly and are not well understood. The NHC plans to undertake this initiative to better identify where and why shortages exist and to assure access to services in the future that meet the needs of all people with chronic conditions.
