The focus is on Ohio’s fiscal future

The Ohio Urban University Program (UUP) will present the third in a series of discussions with experts on timely topics affecting the fiscal future of the State of Ohio. The forum, entitled "More than Money: Prospects for Health Reform," will be held on Wednesday, April 1 at The Athletic Club of Columbus, Crystal Room, 136 East Broad Street, Columbus, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. There will be a reception immediately following. Check-in for the forum begins at 3:30 p.m.

John Begala, Executive Director of The Center for Community Solutions and Senior Fellow with the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University will provide the welcome address and serve as moderator for the panel of speakers. He will present an overview of the complex problems confronting the national and state health care systems, focusing on ways to improve health status while addressing runaway costs.

The forum is designed to provide national and statewide insight on the state of the economic crisis, the current strategies circulating to address the crisis, and the implications on state and local fiscal and economic conditions. Panelists will include:

• William Wilkins, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hospice of Central Ohio. He is former state budget director and tax commissioner, as well as retired CEO of one of Ohio’s largest nonprofit health systems. Mr. Wilkins will share observations on opportunities for strategic incremental changes in health care delivery and public finance.
• Greg Moody, Senior Consultant with Health Management Associates. Mr. Moody, who has held senior health policy positions in state government and advised major health systems on finance and service delivery, will discuss comparative approaches to health reform.
• Mark M. Redding, M.D., Pediatrician with Mansfield Pediatrics, Inc. A leading proponent of systems changes to improve access to primary health care, Dr. Redding will share his practice model of preventative care, and implications for Ohio and the nation.

The UUP Forums in Columbus are presented by the Ohio Urban University Program (UUP), a program of the University System of Ohio and the Ohio General Assembly. The UUP is a unique network that links the resources of Ohio's urban universities with the communities and students they serve in a cooperative effort to boost economic development efforts in the state's urban regions. UUP universities are Cleveland State University, The University of Akron, The University of Cincinnati, Kent State University, The Ohio State University, The University of Toledo, Wright State University, and Youngstown State University.

The forums are presented free of charge, but registration is required. Please register at www.urban.csuohio.edu/uup/.

For additional information or questions about registration, contact Barbara Benevento at b.benevento@csuohio.edu.

For additional information or questions about the UUP Forum Programs in Columbus, contact Claudette Robey at c.robey@csuohio.edu.

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