In Advance of Dr. Hsiao’s Health Reform Plans, the Healthcare Is a Human Right Campaign Releases “Detailed Human Rights Standards for Healthcare Systems”

Montpelier, VT — State House — The Health Care Is a Human Right Campaign is releasing detailed human rights standards for evaluating all proposed healthcare proposals in advance of the public presentation of health reform options by Dr. William Hsiao on Wednesday, Jan. 19th,2011 at 9:30 a.m.

The “Detailed Human Rights Standards for Healthcare Systems” will enable Vermonters and their elected officials to evaluate the three healthcare options proposed by Dr. Hsiao, in accordance with the requirements of Vermont’s Universal Access to Health Care law (Act 128) passed in 2010. Act 128 incorporated the human rights principles of universality, equity, accountability, transparency, participation and healthcare as a public good into the design of a new healthcare system for Vermont. The “Detailed Human Rights Standards for Healthcare Systems” translates the general human-rights principles of Act 128 into a set of specific policy questions, to enable logical and consistent evaluation of the “Hsiao” options and any subsequent legislative proposals.

The “Detailed Human Rights Standards for Healthcare Systems” are available at the Vermont Workers’ Center website at www.workerscenter.org/assessment.

For more background on the campaign, please contact James Haslam or Peg Franzen, or go to www.workerscenter.org/healthcare.

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Contacts:

James Haslam, Executive Director, Vermont Worker’s Center, (802) 272 0882,

Peg Franzen, President, Vermont Workers’ Center, (802) 497 4892,