Last month, California's "Let's Get Healthy Task Force" issued a report that establishes specific health goals for the state to meet by 2022, Los Angeles Times' "L.A. Now" reports (Gorman, "L.A. Now," Los Angeles Times, 12/19/12).
In May 2012, Gov. Jerry Brown (D) issued an executive order requiring California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Diana Dooley to create a task force for developing a 10-year plan to improve residents' health and reduce health care spending (California Healthline, 12/20/12).
About 40 health care leaders contributed to the report ("L.A. Now," Los Angeles Times, 12/19/12).
Details of Report Goals
The report establishes 39 specific goals (Weintraub, HealthyCal, 12/19/12).
The goals include reducing California's overall rate of uninsured residents from 21% to 5% and moving the rate of increase in health care premiums closer to growth in family median income (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 12/19/12).
Other goals include:
- Improving depression screening and treatment;
- Improving end-of-life care;
- Increasing vaccinations among children;
- Lowering smoking rates ("L.A. Now," Los Angeles Times, 12/19/12);
- Preventing and managing chronic diseases; and
- Redesigning the health system to provide efficient, safe and patient-centered care (Sacramento Business Journal, 12/19/12).
Comments About Report
Dooley -- co-chair of the task force -- said state officials "are all very eager to make the report real throughout California." She added that the state plans to track its progress on meeting the report's goals.
Donald Berwick -- co-chair of the task force and former CMS administrator -- said, "I really encourage cities and towns to take this report seriously," adding, "This report is a template for action" ("L.A. Now," Los Angeles Times, 12/19/12).