Anthem Blue Cross 2007 Annual Report Download - page 24

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1. Affordability of Health Care
ISSUE Health care costs are increasing, leading to higher
premiums for consumers and dif culties for employers who
need affordable health bene ts for their employees.
OUR POSITION To help keep premiums affordable and health
care accessible, WellPoint is investing in many initiatives to
reduce the cost of care, promoting wellness and preventive
care for our members and communities, and working with
providers to encourage high-quality, evidence-based care,
which costs less over time. In addition, our subsidiary health
plans offer members signi cant discounts through access to
a network of health care providers across the country.
2. The Uninsured
ISSUE The number of American individuals and families
without health insurance continues to increase.
OUR POSITION WellPoint has proposed a three-point
action plan to help reduce the number of uninsured in
America (available at www.wellpoint.com under “Our
Commitments”). In short, we support:
:: Coverage for every child in America;
:: Improving and expanding public programs to cover the
most needy; and
:: Subsidizing the premiums of those who have trouble
affording coverage.
We are working with policymakers at both the federal and state
levels to enact reforms that will accomplish all of these goals.
3. Consumerism in Health Care
ISSUE American consumers have more choices and information
than ever before, but many of them still lack the information
and tools necessary to choose the most affordable, highest
quality health care available.
OUR POSITION WellPoint is leading the industry with
consumer-driven health plans that feature not only  exible
spending accounts, but also the tools and information needed
to make informed health care decisions. WellPoint is also a
leader in making the cost and quality of health care services
more transparent to consumers, and shares the goals inherent
in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Four
Cornerstones initiative to increase transparency throughout
the health care system.
4. Evidence-Based Medicine
ISSUE Studies show Americans receive expert-recommended
care only about half of the time, and a landmark report by the
Institute of Medicine found that as many as 98,000 people
die each year from preventable medical errors.
Advocating
Responsible
Reform for All
Americans
WellPoint is committed to playing
a leading role in transforming
health care in the United States.
We believe achieving that
objective requires a public-private
collaboration that combines
responsible public policy choices
with private initiatives focused
on the critical issues facing our
communities and our nation.
Here is our list of the most critical health care
policy issues facing our country, together with
our position on each of them.
WELLPOINT, INC. :: CUSTOMER FIRST