Senate democratic leader tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.)--two of the speakers at the Families USA "Health Action 2001" conference in late January--both called on the nation to continue the progress in health care that has been made during the last eight years.

The Health Action 2001 Grassroots Health Advocacy Conference was held Jan. 25-27 in Washington, D.C., by Families USA with dozens of co-sponsors, including the American Federation of Teachers/Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals.

Both Daschle and Clinton called for a balanced approach to tax cuts. Daschle expressed concern that, in providing the $1.6 trillion tax cut President George W. Bush is proposing, there will be "nothing for health care, education or anything else."

Daschle noted the three national major issues in health care: access; a patients' bill of rights; and modernizing and protecting Medicare.

President Bush promised $132 billion to expand health coverage to the uninsured, said Daschle. "We welcome his commitment of dollars and want to work with him to commit those dollars in the fairest, most efficient manner. We should build on what we already know works." Daschle suggested expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Medicaid to cover eligible parents. He also suggested giving states the option to cover 19- and 20-year-olds and legal immigrant women and children.

"We should allow working parents whose income puts them just above the poverty level to maintain coverage for their children. Those approaching 65 should have the option of buying into Medicare. And, on Medicaid, give states the flexibility to innovate, but we shouldn't write blank checks."

A patients' bill of rights should allow emergency room access, give women direct access to OB-GYN care and to continue with their doctors if they're pregnant, said Daschle. Also, when injury or death results from insurers' denial of care, patients should be able to appeal the decision to an independent board with binding decision-making powers.

The third big health care challenge is protecting Medicare. Daschle called for putting both Social Security and Medicare surpluses away in lock boxes so they're used only for Social Security and Medicare. He also called for the creation of a Medicare prescription drug benefit that includes eligibility for all Medicare beneficiaries, is voluntary, affordable, provides a $250 deductible with no caps on benefits and no gaps in coverage.

"We have the means to help people afford health care," said Daschle, "all we need is the will."

Sen. Clinton underscored many of the same points Daschle made, calling for the expansion of federal health insurance programs and for a Medicare prescription benefit that is "universal, comprehensive and affordable." Nothing less will do, emphasized Clinton.

Clinton, who has been assigned to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Budget Committee, said it's crucial that a balanced approach to the federal budget be taken so that the country is not led back to a deficit position and the country is not prevented from "building on the successes we've achieved in health care."