Governor Rendell Appoints Members of Chronic Care Commission as Part of Prescript...( HARRISBURG Pa. Sept. 17 -- Gover...),Health

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell has appointed 37 individuals to a commission that will work to improve how Pennsylvanians with chronic disease receive health care in the future. The initiative is part of the Governor's Prescription for Pennsylvania health care reform plan.

"About 78 percent of all health care costs in Pennsylvania are attributable to 20 percent of all patients -- those with chronic diseases," Governor Rendell said. "The members of the Chronic Care Management Commission will help to develop processes to more effectively manage chronic disease. We cannot reduce the occurrence and cost of chronic diseases without aggressively addressing prevention, detection and treatment in a comprehensive, proactive way."

The Governor said that in 2005, Pennsylvania hospitals reported more than $1.7 billion in hospital charges for potentially avoidable hospitalizations because patients with chronic conditions did not receive necessary care in the community.

The 37 commission members represent a broad cross section of health care related fields and represent all geographic areas of the state. In addition, the secretaries of Health, Public Welfare and Insurance and the director of the Governor's Office of Health Care Reform serve as ex-officio members of the commission.

The commission is holding its first meeting today in Harrisburg and will hold additional meetings in the coming months. The Governor's Executive Order creating the commission calls for it to develop a strategic plan including a blueprint for evaluation within 90 days of its first meeting.

For more information on Governor Rendell's Prescription for Pennsylvania reform plan, visit http://www.rxforpa.com.

The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment
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