For Immediate Release
Wednesday, March 26, 1997
President Clinton Names AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee to National Commission on Health Care Quality
Washington, DC —Gerald W. McEntee, the president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO -- the nation's largest public employee and health care workers union -- was named by President Clinton to serve on the National Commission on Health Care Quality. The federal advisory commission will make recommendations to protect consumers against changes in the health care industry that threaten the quality of patient care.
AFSCME has long warned that the shifting burden of health care costs and the resulting obsession by private health care providers to look out for the "bottom line" is threatening the quality of patient care. The union has also worked to protect health care workers who have found it increasingly more difficult to provide high quality patient care.
AFSCME President McEntee today reiterated those concerns, and spoke of what he hopes the commission will accomplish: "Like other Americans, the 1.3 million members of AFSCME -- 350,000 of whom are health care workers -- have watched with alarm and frustration as chaotic changes in our health care system have too often led to a decline in both the quality and availability of health care services for working families. The creation of this commission, makes it clear that this Administration believes that protecting health care consumers is a top priority, and one that deserves the greatest degree of attention."
McEntee added: "Given the magnitude of the challenges and opportunities facing our nation's health care system, I feel honored to serve on this commission. It is time to build a new health care system in which the American consumer is the beneficiary -- not the victim -- of changes in our health care system."
McEntee was present when the creation of the panel was announced by President Clinton last September in Sunset, Florida.
