Some 80 million Americans suffer from cardiovascular diseases, and lack of health insurance and quality of care pose tremendous problems for many of these people.

On Sept. 24, the American Heart Association, in partnership with the University of Mississippi, hosted a panel of top business, government and health leaders to examine the nation’s health care system. The program, Reinventing Health Care, was held in conjunction with activities leading up to the first Presidential debate. The discussion engaged the panelists in an in-depth exploration of every aspect of the health care reform debate and how the issues impact the lives of all Americans.

To watch a short video clip with general comments from the program, click on the play button below:

An edited version of the program was produced for public television and will air on Louisiana Public Broadcasting and Mississippi Public Broadcasting on Thursday, Oct. 16, one day after the third Presidential debate. It will continue to air on other PBS stations across the country throughout the fall and winter. Make sure to check your local listings for broadcast dates and times in your community.

To watch short video clips of comments from the panelists, click on the following links: 

• "20,000 Americans die each year because they can't afford to go to the doctor." (1 minute, 25 seconds)
• "If there is one thing that can bankrupt America, it's health care costs." (51 seconds)
• "It is an international disgrace the number of uninsured people in this country." (1minute, 46 seconds)
• "Nobody else does it the way we do it." (44 seconds)
• "There's this idea that preventative care is a cost saver." (42 seconds)
• "How many Canadians die each year because they can't afford to see a doctor?" (1 minute, 25 seconds)
• "You cannot cover everything..." (1minute, 13 seconds)
• "The primary care foundation of our system here in the U.S. is broken." (1 minute)
• "Data shows when people pay out of their own pocket, they become more compliant..." (1 minute)

Or, you can watch the entire hour-long program by clicking this link: Reinventing Health Care

The American Heart Association teamed up with Columbia University and Fred Friendly Seminars to produce the event for public television. The panelists were carefully selected to offer a wide range of viewpoints from different perspectives and industries. Participants included Daniel Jones, M.D., Immediate Past-President of the American Heart Association and Vice Chancellor of the University of Mississippi Medical Center; Bill Novelli, CEO of the American Association of Retired Persons; T.R. Reid, Washington Post journalist; David Walker, CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation and former U.S. Comptroller General; Regina Herzlinger, professor of business administration, Harvard Business School; and Dave Ratner, small business owner.

Fred Friendly Seminars brings together remarkable groups of panelists and involves them in hypothetical scenarios spun by masterful moderators. The results reveal the complexity of the issues with greater depth and drama than a standard debate.

To learn more about the American Heart Association’s efforts to reform our nation’s health care system, please visit www.heartsforhealthcare.org.