A coalition of 21 Iowa organizations has formed "The Partnership for Better Health" in hopes of influencing the upcoming debate among presidential candidates campaign in Iowa. Christopher Atchison, dean of the University of Iowa’s College of Public Health is co-chair of the new group.
"When you think about the next 11 months in the state, we will be the focus of major national attention and it’s clear from…the presidential campaigns already…that health and health care is going to be on the agenda," Atchison says.
Doctor Andrea McGuire, a physician who was unsuccessful Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Blouin’s chosen runningmate, is the group’s other co-chair. "All these surveys talk about health (care) as the number one issue that people worry about," McGuire says. "We have got to talk about it in a better manner and we have got to talk about solutions."
The group is encouraging its members to attend campaign events and question the presidential candidates about their health care proposals.