Group says health care a top priority in Presidential race

A spokesman for the American Association of Health Plans says they’re making an effort to educate the residents of New Hampshire and Iowa about health care issues. Mohit Ghose says they’ve done surveys on the important issues.He says democrats and republicans agree that access to health care, controlling costs and reforming medical malpractice are important to any overall health plan. Ghose says they hope the voters in the two states that begin the presidential process will be able to pin the candidates down on the issues. He says his group wants to get around the political rhetoric so people can ask relevant questions of the candidates on the stump. Chose says health plan providers had made progress in controlling medical costs, but he says it’s going the other way again. He says we’ve lost because of state level mandates, rampant litigation and waste and abuse in the system. Ghose says things can change. Ghose’s organization is the largest association representing H-M-O’s and P-P-O’s in the nation. He admits they have much to gain from a new health plan, but says they’re interested in improving the system for all Americans.