15 senators write health care letter

A group of 15 senators — co-led by Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah — is telling Barack Obama that they may have the cure to political divides over how to reform health care.

The seven Republicans, seven Democrats and one independent joined in a letter to Obama on Friday saying they have hammered out seven principles they believe should be the goal of health care reform.

"Over the last two years, we have come together as Democrats and Republicans because we believe that for health reform to succeed it must be bipartisan," they wrote. "We believe (these) principles outline the best way to reform the nation's health care system and create the best 'road map' to build bipartisan consensus on reform."

The 15 are co-sponsors of the Health Americans Act introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Bennett. The principles and goals they say should guide reform are:

• Ensure that all Americans have health care coverage.

• Make health care coverage both affordable and portable.

• Implement strong private insurance market reforms.

• Modernize federal tax rules for health coverage.

• Promote improved disease prevention and wellness activities, and better management of chronic illness.

• Make health care prices and choices more transparent so that consumers and providers can make the best choices.

• Improve the quality and value of health care services.

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