Thirty-six organizations urge Congress to pass health reform legislation

State, regional and national public health associations today called on Congress to send comprehensive health reform legislation to the president in the coming weeks. Thirty-six organizations representing tens of thousands of public health professionals from Alaska to Maine, Iowa to Kentucky and states in between signed on to a letter to members of Congress urging action.

"Congress has come further than ever before to passing comprehensive and affordable health reform legislation with an emphasis on changing from a system that focuses on treating the sick to one that focuses on keeping people healthy," the organizations wrote. "We must expand affordable health insurance coverage to those who are uninsured, provide funding for public health and prevention activities, implement much needed insurance and coverage reforms, strengthen the Medicare system and enhance the health care and public health work force."

The organizations urged Congress to pass a bill with "the strongest possible public health and prevention provisions that will improve the health of the people of our states and the nation and moves us closer to providing comprehensive and affordable health coverage for all Americans."

Membership of the public health associations comprises physicians, nurses, health educators and administrators, epidemiologists, social workers, researchers and other frontline public health professionals working to protect and improve the public's health. The state and regional associations are affiliated with the American Public Health Association.