Bucks Voices for Health Care Reform is a grassroots countywide effort that has grown out of a shared interest in working toward effective ethical solutions to what is broadly-perceived as a health care crisis.

Our current system is a complex patchwork of government and private programs developed over time in response to a variety of needs. It is barely navigable by even the most informed person, and too many people fall through the cracks receiving no health care until they end up in the emergency room driving up the cost.

Members of Bucks Voices believe that reform must start with agreement on basic principles. We intend to engage in the careful analysis of options based on these principles and to work together toward a com- prehensive, integrated national health care policy.

We believe that health care is a public good, like police protection and education, and we want to see a health care system based on fundamental ethical principles that respect the dignity of all persons. Please click here for our Bucks Voices Brochure.

Our Mission

Founded in 2007, Bucks Voices for Health Care Reform is a nonpartisan grassroots organization dedicated to promoting fundamental principles to build a fair and just national health care system.

We do this by:

• educating the public about health care reform and resident-adopted healthcare principles;
• evaluating programs by applying the groups of principles to the existing/proposed health care systems; and
• building a virtual grassroots network to promote the principles, further dialogue and analysis throughout Bucks County.

Our Visions

Health care should be considered integral with the common good that promotes human dignity for all. Both individuals and society have responsibilities for health care: we as individuals need to protect our health and we as a society need to provide a sustainable health care system that includes:

• Health promotion and disease prevention.
• A balanced continuum of care throughout the life cycle from birth to death.
• High quality care, including, for example, attention to evidence-based medicine.
• Financing care based on one’s ability to pay.
• Improved methods of healthcare cost control.
• Transparency and accountability in what may be inevitable treatment-rationing decisions.
• Minimal spending for administrative costs.
• Consistency of health care standards and policies among all states across the country.

Our Principles

Principles for Measuring Ethical Quotient of Health Care Proposals and Programs*:

Health care provides part of the basis for human dignity. Therefore, everyone has a right to necessary health care. Universal health care provides health insurance for everyone.

1. Society provides public rights to food, shelter, national security, public education, a good environment, etc. People have a right to be healthy. Therefore, health care should be a public right.
2. Individuals have a duty to promote and protect their health such as eating right, being physically active and avoiding risky habits like smoking, unsafe sex, unsafe driving etc.
3. Society’s duty is to provide a healthcare system that treats all its members fairly and equally, adjusting for regional differences. Healthy people enhance our productive workforce.
4. Promotion of health and prevention of disease.
5. Consistent rules for everyone with a guarantee that health insurance will continue independent of employment or change of residence anywhere in the country.
6. The use of proven science and appropriately tested methods to ensure high quality care is delivered.
7. Provision of all necessary (basic) care: prevention, acute, chronic, emergency, end-of-life, mental health, long-term care gender health, dental care etc., throughout one’s lifespan.
8. Transparency and accountability. Should care or service be denied, the patient is provided a full and reasonable explanation.
9. The provision that everyone pays what they can afford using individual or family income, number of dependents and regional cost of living as a basis for patient payments or dues.
10. Dedication of money/funds and resources to actual healthcare, minimizing administrative costs and bureaucratic interference, while maintaining quality of care
11. Control of rise of health care costs (health care inflation) at a level that is acceptable such that health insurance becomes and remains affordable for everyone

*Courtesy Center for Healthcare Reform, Orange, CA