HEALTH CARE --

BUSH ADMINISTRATION BRUSHES ASIDE CITIZENS' GROUP REPORT ON HEALTH CARE: Yesterday, the Bush administration "rejected key recommendations from a citizens' group asked by Congress to find out people's health care wishes." The Citizens' Health Care Working Group, submitted its report to the White House on Sept. 29, 2006, after "hearing from about 6,500 people at 84 meetings." According to the Group's mission statement, it must foster "a nationwide public debate about improving the health care system to provide every American with the ability to obtain quality, affordable health care coverage" and develop "an action plan for Congress and the President to consider as they work to make health care that works for all Americans." Some of its recommendations included a "guaranteed package of health benefits for everyone" by 2012, and the "creation of an independent, nonpartisan group to select those benefits, such as an annual breast cancer exam or physical." Under federal law, Bush had 45 days to submit a response, which would have been Nov. 13; the White House's response came four months late. Additionally, neither the White House nor the Department of Health and Human Services "issued a statement acknowledging receipt of the report when it came out." The White House's unceremonious response to the Group's report yesterday said that while the President "agrees it is important to make health care more affordable and expand insurance coverage," he disagreed with the Group's solutions. Yet the American public is fed up with the Bush administration's approach to health care; 71 percent believe our health care system is in a state of crisis. Sixty-nine percent of Americans believe the federal government has the responsibility to ensure all Americans have health care coverage. Wal-Mart, AT&T, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Center for American Progress, and other businesses and non-profit organizations have launched a campaign to ensure "universal health coverage" by 2012.