Consumer Advocates, Health Insurers Support Reform Proposals That Boost Preventive Care

All of the major health care reform bills currently before Congress include provisions designed to encourage healthy living.

Health insurers such as Kaiser Permanente and Blue Shield of California say preventive health initiatives can keep people healthy while reducing health care costs.

In addition, consumer advocates say wellness programs can boost health care access for low-income and underserved populations.

In a California Healthline Special Report by Pat McConahay, experts discussed the prospects for preventive care in health reform.

The Special Report includes comments from:

Tom Epstein, vice president of public affairs for Blue Shield of California;
Robert Pearl, executive director and CEO of the Permanente Medical Group; and
Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access.

Experts say employers also can benefit from developing wellness initiatives that keep workers healthy (McConahay, California Healthline, 10/15).

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<h1>Consumer Advocates, Health Insurers Support Reform Proposals That Boost Preventive Care</h1>
<div>		<time class="posted-on" datetime="2009-10-15T00:00:00-07:00">
			October 15, 2009		</time>
		</div>
<p>All of the major health care reform bills currently before Congress include provisions designed to encourage healthy living.</p><p>Health insurers such as Kaiser Permanente and Blue Shield of California say preventive health initiatives can keep people healthy while reducing health care costs.</p><p>In addition, consumer advocates say wellness programs can boost health care access for low-income and underserved populations.</p><p>In a <i>California Healthline</i> Special Report by Pat McConahay, experts discussed the prospects for preventive care in health reform.</p><p>The Special Report includes comments from:</p><ul><li>Tom Epstein, vice president of public affairs for Blue Shield of California;</li><li>Robert Pearl, executive director and CEO of the Permanente Medical Group; and</li><li>Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access.</li></ul><p>Experts say employers also can benefit from developing wellness initiatives that keep workers healthy (McConahay, <i>California Healthline</i>, 10/15).</p><p><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/about-us">KFF Health News</a> is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about <a href="https://www.kff.org/about-us/">KFF</a>.</p><h3>USE OUR CONTENT</h3><p>This story can be republished for free (<a href="https://californiahealthline.org/news/consumer-advocates-health-insurers-support-reform-proposals-that-boost-preventive-care/view/republish/">details</a>).</p><em><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/about-us">KFF Health News</a> is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about <a href="https://www.kff.org/about-us">KFF</a>.</em><p><a href="https://californiahealthline.org/morning-briefing/">Subscribe</a> to KFF Health News' free Morning Briefing.</p>

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