We Can Do Better
{{Short description|Healthcare organization}}
{{For|the 2018 song by Matt Simons|We Can Do Better (song)}}
We Can Do Better (formerly known as the Archimedes Movement;{{cite news
|title=Focus on accessible health care
|date=January 28, 2011
|first=Amy
|last=Bartlett
|work=Siuslaw News
|url=http://www.thesiuslawnews.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=72&story_id=4052
}} founded 2006) is a grassroots movement based in the U.S. state of Oregon, which aims to bring citizens and stakeholders together to design a health care system that "works better for everyone."{{cite news
|title=Movement Seeks Consensus on Health Reform
|first=Doug|last=Brunk
|date=February 1, 2008
|work=Skin & Allergy News
|url=http://www.skinandallergynews.com/index.php?id=1059&type=98&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=2025&cHash=da03e20e36}} It was founded by former Oregon governor John Kitzhaber, a physician, in January 2006.{{cite book
|title=Connecting Social Welfare Policy to Fields of Practice
|first=Ira C.
|last=Colby |author2=Catherine N. Dulmus |author3=Karen M. Sowers
|isbn=978-1-1184-2096-6
|date=January 2013
|pages=153–154
|publisher=John Wiley & Sons
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CklF5S7_B98C&dq=%22Archimedes+Movement%22+Kitzhaber&pg=PT163
}} Kitzhaber's goal was to find a way to put money used for health care, which as of 2006 amounted to about $6.3{{nbsp}}billion in Oregon, to better use.{{cite news
|title=Kitzhaber puts spotlight on health care
|work=The Register-Guard
|date=May 26, 2006
|first=Tim
|last=Christie}} That year, it was one of three organizations that drew substantially increased funding levels from the Northwest Health Foundation; its grant funds totaled $82,000.{{cite news
|title=NW Health Foundation shifts toward reform role
|first=Robin J.
|last=Moody
|date=August 13, 2006
|work=Portland Business Journal
|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2006/08/14/story7.html?page=all
}}
In 2007, members of the organization initially "crowded the steps" of the Oregon Capitol in support of a bill before the 2007 legislature to establish the Oregon Health Trust,{{cite news
|date=March 18, 2007
|title=Oregon Health Trust bill could signal big changes: Ex-governor, legislators propose sweeping health reform
|first=Robin J.
|last=Moody
|work=Portland Business Journal
|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/03/19/story6.html?page=all
}} but Kitzhaber later reversed his position, pulling his support from the bill and advising members of the organization that the then-current version of the bill did "not reflect the work{{nbsp}}... done by you through the Archimedes Movement."{{cite news
|date=April 22, 2007
|title=Around Town: Kitzhaber ends support for health care reform bill
|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/04/23/newscolumn2.html?page=all
|work=Portland Business Journal
}}
The organization's goal was to create a national grassroots effort to reform health care, starting in Oregon.{{cite news
|title=Former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber touts centrist path he hopes will lead to old job
|first=Harry
|last=Esteve
|work=The Oregonian
|date=April 10, 2010
|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/04/former_oregon_gov_john_kitzhab.html
}} It was founded on the belief that incremental change to existing health programs like Medicare and Medicaid will not be sufficient to solve their long-term problems, and that communities and coalitions outside the political world would need to form consensus around goals and values, and pressure lawmakers to make more fundamental changes.
The organization's executive director, Liz Baxter, has advocated for health policy reform to members of the Oregon Legislative Assembly.{{cite news
|title=Woman shares family's stories as she advocates for health care bill
|first=Ryan
|last=Kost
|work=The Oregonian
|date=January 28, 2012
|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/01/trying_to_change_what_doesnt_m.html
}} She also chairs the Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Board, established in 2011.{{cite news
|title=Governor Kitzhaber Applauds Senate Confirmation of Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Board
|work=Targeted News Service
|date=October 9, 2011
}}
The Archimedes Movement is a member of the Oregon Health Reform Collaborative.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090120175612/http://www.oregonhealthreform.org/ oregonhealthreform.org Oregon Health Reform Collaborative] web site (as archived January 20, 2009) The organization's original name was based on the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes, who is quoted as saying "Give me a lever and a place to stand, and I can move the Earth."
Notes and references
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://wecandobetter.org We Can Do Better] official web site
Further reading
- Op-ed by Executive Director Liz Baxter: {{cite news
|title=It's time for Oregonians to start talking about health care
|work=The Register-Guard
|date=February 4, 2010
|first=Liz
|last=Baxter}}
- Op-ed by founder John Kitzhaber: {{cite news
|title= Treat the root cause in reform effort
|work=The Register-Guard
|date=May 21, 2007
|first=John
|last=Kitzhaber
}}
- Op-ed by Community Leadership Council member Michael Grady: {{cite news
|title=Health care reform, a sustainable model: 'Medicaid for all'
|work=The Oregonian
|date=August 26, 2009
|first=Michael
|last=Grady}}
Category:Healthcare reform advocacy groups in the United States