National Policy Makers and Health Care Executives Come Together to Discuss the Future...

National Policy Makers and Health Care Executives Come Together to Discuss the
Future of Health Care

Consumer Driven Healthcare Gives Power to the Patient

OMAHA, Neb., Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- There is little argument that
America's health care system is broken. America's upper class knows it. The
middle class feels it. The working class lives it. Health care reform is the
topic of discussion from the board room to the ballot box. Amid the rhetoric
comes action in the form of a plan designed, piloted and proven by Alegent
Health, a faith-based health care system with nine hospitals in Nebraska and
Iowa. Jan. 15-16, executives and decision makers from nine U.S. health care
systems will join analysts, technology experts and policy makers in Omaha, to
look at real tactics that are showing real results.

"There is a healthcare revolution underfoot in the heartland that has the
potential to fundamentally change our system as we know it," said founder of
the Center for Health Transformation and former Speaker Newt Gingrich.
"Alegent Health in Omaha is proving to be a leader and other health systems
around the country are taking note."

In Omaha, those leaders will learn about the methodology as well as the
quality and cost purchasing tools for consumers that are part of the Alegent
Health transparency initiative. Alegent Health and MEDSEEK designed an online
"My Cost" tool that puts cost information for a large variety of procedures
right at consumers' fingertips. By entering basic information, patients can,
with the click of a mouse, find out the actual cost of a procedure for their
specific health plan as well as their individual out-of-pocket cost.

"We are part of the most consequential health care reform in four decades,"
said Tevi Troy, Ph.D., Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. "They
are reforms dependent on transparency and consumer driven health care, and an
important step to getting there is what's taking place here in Omaha."

"Health care reform is going to happen," said Alegent Health CEO Wayne Sensor.
"We, as an industry, can either lead the way or accept what is dealt to us. I
prefer to lead."

Alegent Health moved quickly to the forefront of health care reform, openly
sharing cost and quality scores; empowering people to make informed decisions
about their own health care; and offering free preventative health care to
employees. The results -- decreasing health care costs for both the company
and its employees.

"It isn't just about money," Sensor said. "It is about people. It is our
Mission and our privilege to serve people. Giving them the tools and the power
to make good decisions about their health care is the right thing to do."

Sensor, his team and MEDSEEK will walk executives through the methodology and
the process of transparency at a two-day educational forum called Power to the
Patient. The goal is to help other health care providers begin or move closer
toward cost and quality transparency.

SOURCE Alegent Health

Kelly Grinnell of Alegent Health, +1-402-343-4673, cell, +1-402-536-0616,
Kelly.Grinnell@alegent.org