Our Letter to President Obama...

In response to the recent White House Forum on Health Reform hosted by President Obama, we were pleased to see that the president is getting serious about true healthcare reform.  Our health care system is vast and complex, meaning getting all stakeholders together for dialogue is a daunting task, if not a logistical disaster.  That said, we believe that one of the greatest stakeholders in the trajectory of health care reform - young Americans - deserve to be formally represented at any future summits.  Of course when it comes to healthcare reform nothing can get done without an understanding that we are all in this together, but inherent to that understanding is the fact that we need solutions that can stand the test of time and better this country's health care outlook for years to come.  

You may download our letter at the bottom of this post and we encourage you to use it as a template for your own plea to the President to ensure that the voices of young Americans are heard in the healthcare debate.  Also, please sign our Declaration of Committment to healthcare reform and add your voice to the debate.   

Dear President Obama, 

We were delighted to see the gathering of so many important and diverse stakeholders at the White House Forum on Health Reform. Assuredly, this event was an important step in building the political will necessary to achieve comprehensive health reform. We agree that this is an issue that must be dealt with a degree of urgency, as failure to reform our health care system will continue to have great consequences for all Americans. 

During the forum’s closing ceremony as well in your recent Address to Congress, you recognized the need to respond to America’s healthcare problems with a strong conscience for how these issues affect the future of young Americans. We hope that you continue to keep our interests in mind in the pursuit comprehensive healthcare reform. Our demographic of 18-35 year olds were instrumental to your electoral success and yet, are arguably being hit the hardest by rising healthcare costs. At current, we represent the largest portion of the uninsured by age and also stand to shoulder the greatest burden of any long-term fiscal challenges emerging from the rising cost of health care. 

America’s youth recognizes that we have so much at stake. It is in our interest and in the interest of this nation for us to express our particular needs as they relate to systemic accessibility, affordability, and sustainability. Thus, as you move forward with this debate in upcoming regional summits, we ask that you continue to engage us and allow us the opportunity to have a seat at the table, as we are the ones who will not only most enjoy the fruits of reform, but also taste its bitter shortcomings.

Best Regards, 

SHOUTAmerica