Clinical Excellence

May 11, 2009

Kaiser Permanente CEO Meets with President Obama at the White House

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(From whitehouse.gov)


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(Official White House Photo)


View larger image >
(Official White House Photo)

Today, Kaiser Permanente Chairman and CEO George Halvorson, and other private sector health care leaders met with President Obama to discuss the need for containing rising health care costs. The coalition, which includes Service Employees International Union, America's Health Insurance Plans, American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, Advanced Medical Technology Association, and Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America committed to cutting health care costs by $2 trillion over the next 10 years.

In his remarks following the White House meeting, the President observed, "What’s brought us all together today is a recognition that we can’t continue down the same dangerous road we’ve been traveling for many years, that costs are out of control, and that reform is not a luxury that can be postponed but a necessity that cannot wait. It’s a recognition that the fictional television couple Harry and Louise, who became the iconic faces of those who opposed health-care reform in the ‘90s, desperately need health-care reform in 2009, and so does America. And that’s why these groups are voluntarily coming together to make an unprecedented commitment."

Mr. Halvorson said, "There is unprecedented momentum for health care reform, with a real chance of making care better, more accessible and more affordable. Collaboration and accountability are central to this effort and we believe that the most effective reforms will control spending by providing better care for all Americans."

For more information about how Kaiser Permanente is working to utilize quality data, incentives, coordinated care and health care technology, go to:  www.kp.org/future