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Access to Health Care (Health Care Reform)

Universal Coverage

The WSMA has the unqualified position that universal health care coverage is an achievable objective through a variety of mechanisms which could be private, public, or a combination thereof. (Res C-5, A-07; Res C-1, A-09) (Reaffirmed A-18)

The WSMA supports universal health care coverage based on the following principles:

  • Health care coverage should be universal so that no one is without access to health care by reason of employment status, health status, or other life circumstances.
  • Health care coverage should promote timely access to high-quality care that is both therapeutically effective and economically efficient.
  • Health care coverage should be continuous with no breaks in coverage that can delay or interrupt necessary medical care and expose individuals and families to the risk of severe financial hardship.
  • Health care coverage should be affordable to individuals and families so that the sum of contributions to health coverage through premiums, taxes and out-of-pocket requirements do not render unaffordable the basic necessities of life.
  • Health care coverage should be affordable and sustainable for society through an administrative approach that (a) maximizes efficiency through core coverage standards and operating procedures that are common to all financing entities and (b) factors into coverage decisions accurate measures of the true costs and benefits of new drugs, devices and treatment protocols

(Amended A-19)


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Abbreviations for House of Delegates report origination:

EC – Executive Committee; BT – Board of Trustees; CPA – Council on Professional Affairs; JC – Judicial Council; CHS – Community and Health Services

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