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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
* Since taking office, President Obama has urged Congress to move rapidly and advance a plan that is consistent with the eight principles he considers essential for improving the U.S. health care system.
* Three major policies associated with the current discussions surrounding health care reform - universal coverage, preventive care, and improving efficiency and quality - are analyzed.
* Overall, the Obama plan for health reform has the potential to improve health care access and quality for all Americans dramatically.
* The Obama reform holds many opportunities for nurses, especially for APRNs, FNPs, and BSNs.
* This is a crucial time for nurses to become active participants in our health care reform.
* Nursing input is needed at the individual, community, and federal levels.
PRESIDENT OBAMA MADE health care reform a major focus of his campaign. Since taking office, he has u rged Congress to move rapidly and advance a plan that is consistent with the eight principles (see Table 1) he considers essential for improving the U.S. health care system. Several former presidents, including Roosevelt, Kennedy, Johnson, Cart e r, and Clinton have taken part in health care reform and Obama seems to be following in their footsteps (Daschle, Greenberger, & Lambre w, 2008). He is relying on the expertise of key Congressional leaders, most especially the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) to lead the effort, and the implications of what is being proposed will have a significant impact on health providers, most especially nurses. The purpose of this policy analysis article is to discuss the pros and cons of t h ree major policies associated with the current discussions surrounding health care reform. We will discuss some implications for nurses so that they can make more informed decisions and pro v i d e input re g a rding the emerg i n g changes that will affect them and their patients. Unlike an analytic review, a policy analysis weighs the available information on issues to arrive at an informed judgment (Prinz, Cramer, & Englund, 2008). The three major p roposals we will focus on transect Obama's eight principles and the Baucus White Paper (Baucus, 2008): (a) ensuring health care coverage for all Americans,...