ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan will partner with nearly two dozen colleges and universities around the nation to host a high-tech version of old-fashioned town hall democracy on one of the nation’s most pressing issues: the cost, effectiveness and accessibility of health care.

Using the Internet, satellite and telephones, groups gathered simultaneously at universities around the country will share their thoughts in real time about how to change today’s health care system to make it work for all Americans. Participants watching via the Web in their homes can share thoughts and questions, as well.

U-M is coordinating the event in conjunction with the national Citizens? Health Care Working Group, a 15-member working group formed by Congress for the express purpose of finding out what the public thinks about the accessibility, cost and quality of health care, and turning that input into policy recommendations for the President and Congress.

?What we?re doing has never been done before,? said Catherine McLaughlin, professor of health management and policy at the University of Michigan School of Public Health who conceived the idea as a member of the Working Group. ?We are excited about giving people from around the country a chance to share their thoughts with members of the Working Group and with each other all at once, encouraging an ongoing thoughtful, informed conversation among all Americans that will help us develop strong recommendations for the President and the Congress.?

?What is your health worth? A national conversation on health care,? will run 6:30-9:30 p.m. EST March 22, with the live Webcast 7-9 p.m. The Web site is www.umich.edu/healthmeeting.

The Association of Schools of Public Health and the Big Ten Conference are co-sponsoring this event.

?It is so important to give people an opportunity to speak their minds about health care. The United States spends at least $1,800 more per person on health care than any other developed country, but there are still millions of people who do not have access to the care they really need,? said Mary Sue Coleman, University of Michigan president and co-chair of the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on the Consequences of Uninsurance. ?This is an issue that urgently needs Americans? attention.?

U-M will transmit the proceedings via satellite to public meetings at all the Big 10 schools, plus to the campuses of 11 additional schools of public health around the country. Audiences at these town hall meetings will have the opportunity to share their input electronically with panelists in Ann Arbor, and their questions and comments will inform the Working Group’s recommendations to Congress.

The public can watch the proceedings via Web-streaming and offer comments and questions by e-mail. Visit: www.umich.edu/healthmeeting.

To the extent possible, factual questions not addressed during the meeting will be reviewed and answered online after the event.

The event will begin with brief remarks from health care experts followed by an open forum. Panelists include:

? McLaughlin, a member of the Citizens? Health Care Working Group and director of the U-M’s Economic Research Initiative on the Uninsured.

? Coleman, who co-chaired the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on the Consequences of Uninsurance, which issued recommendations in 2004 about how to extend coverage to more citizens.

? Pat Maryland, a member of the Working Group and president of St. Vincent Hospitals and Health Services Inc. in central Indiana. She previously held positions at Cleveland Clinic and Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit.

? Deborah Stehr, a member of the Working Group and a health care advocate who serves as full-time care-giver for her adult son, Jonathan, who has cerebral palsy. Iowa resident Stehr has served on the boards of the Iowa Citizen Action Network and USAction.

? Kenneth Warner, dean of the U-M School of Public Health. Warner has spent decades researching the effects of tobacco control policies. In his role as dean, he advocates disease prevention and health promotion through a robust public health system.

The Webcast ?What is your health worth?? kicks off two weeks of the nation’s online discussions (March 22 to April 5) about health care in America, organized by the Citizens? Health Care Working Group. Those interested in the nation’s health care can take their issues, comments and recommendations to the online Discussion Forums or start their own Citizen’s Blog at www.citizenshealthcare.gov, under ?Communicate.?

What is Your Health Worth: www.umich.edu/healthmeeting

Citizens? Health Care Working Group: http://www.citizenshealthcare.gov/index.php.

McLaughlin’s profile: http://www.sph.umich.edu/scr/faculty/profile.cfm?uniqname=cmcl

University Participants in Virtual Town Meeting

Boston University, Boston

Contact: Debbie Socolar at dsocolar@bu.edu or 617 638-5087

Drexel University, Philadelphia

Contact: John Rich at jrich@drexel.edu or 215-762-1239

Emory University, Atlanta

Contact: Brad Herring at bradley.herring@emory.edu or 404-727-3738

George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

Contact: Sara Wilensky at wilensky@gwu.edu or 202-530-2359

Indiana University, Indianapolis

Contact: Carole Kacius at kacius@iupui.edu or 317-274-3126

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore

Contact: Tom Oliver at toliver@jhsph.edu or 410-614-5967

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Baton Rouge, La.

Contact: Robert Marier at RMarier@lsuhsc.edu or 504-415-7926

Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich.

Contact: Denise Holmes at holmesd3@msu.edu or 517-432-9807

Northwestern University, Chicago

Contact: Sarah Rittner at s-rittner@northwestern.edu or 312-695-4297

Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Contact: Jerry Friedman at jerry.friedman@osumc.edu or 614-292-7130

Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Penn.

Contact: Michael Weitekamp at mweitekamp@psu.edu or 717-531-8803

Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.

Contact: Steve Witz at witz@purdue.edu or 765-496-8303

Tulane University, New Orleans

Contact: Frances Mather at mather@tulane.edu or 504-988-7329

University at Albany, Albany, N.Y.

Contact: Nancy Persily at npersily@uamail.albany.edu or 518-402-0262

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Ark.

Contact: Freeman McKindra at McKindraFreeman@uams.edu or 501-526-6602

University of Illinois, Urbana, Ill.

Contact: Bob Rich at rfrich@uillinois.edu or 217-244-8550

University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

Contact: Peter Cram at peter-cram@uiowa.edu

University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky.

Contact: Richard Wilson at rwwils06@gwise.louisville.edu or 502-852-3443

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Contact: Catherine McLaughlin at cmcl@umich.edu or 734-615-9586

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minn.

Contact: Judy Garrard at jgarrard@umn.edu or 612-625-8772

University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C.

Contact: Lee Pearson at jlpears@gwm.sc.edu or 803-978-7573

University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisc.

Contact: Donna Friedsam at dafriedsam@facstaff.wisc.edu or 608-263-4881