Open Government Initiative

Healthreform.gov

Department of Health and Human Services

The Online Home of Health Reform

Launch Healthreform.gov

The Challenge

President Obama is committed to working with Congress and the American people to pass comprehensive health reform this year that controls rising health care costs, guarantees choice of doctor and insurance plan, and assures quality, affordable health care for all Americans. The President has vowed that the health reform process will be an open, inclusive, and transparent process where all ideas are encouraged and all parties work together to find a solution to the health care crisis.

The Solution

HealthReform.gov allows Americans to take part personally in the health reform process. Webcasts of Health Care Stakeholder Discussions and White House forums held across the country allow Americans to join important discussions about health reform, while web tools allow the American people to share their thoughts directly with the Administration. The website also features a "Weekly Update on Health Reform" video with either Director of the White House Office of Health Reform, Nancy-Ann DeParle, or Secretary Sebelius.

The Benefit

Launched, updated and maintained by the Department of Health and Human Services, working in conjunction with the White House Office of Health Reform, HealthReform.gov provides Americans around the country an unprecedented opportunity to take part in the health reform process.

Critical new updates to the page are shared with thousands of Americans each week via email.

Since the site first launched on March 5. 2009:

  • More than10,000 people have shared their personal stories about the need for health reform this year.
  • More than 14,000 people from across the nation have signed a statement in support of enacting comprehensive health reform this year.
  • More than 21,000 people are on a health reform distribution list that provides updates about new reports, forums, and features on HealthReform.gov.
  • Thousands of Americans have watched the White House Forum on Health Reform, Regional White House Forums on Health Reform in five states featuring a bipartisan group of Governors and top White House officials, and Health Care Stakeholder Discussions at the White House.

The site also features five comprehensive reports from the HHS Office of Health Reform on the need for health reform this year. From the thousands of Health Care Community Discussions in December, visitors can find not only the final report — "Americans Speak on Health Reform" — but also state-level reports submitted by groups. Finally, Healthreform.gov features a daily quiz offering users the chance to test their knowledge of health reform topics and a summary of what people are saying about health reform.

For more information, email healthreform@hhs.gov