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Monday, June 15, 2009

Aetna CEO 'Very Optimistic' About Reform

Hope Holland

FOXBusiness

In an exclusive interview with FOX Business Network's Alexis Glick, Aetna (AET) Chairman and CEO Ron Williams said he's 'very optimistic' that the nation's health care system will be reformed in 2009.

Williams said he believes the debate over health-care reform is a good thing in the sense that it has opened up the lines of communication between physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, patients and consumers.

“I think the President will be able to find a path through this,” he said.

Williams believes the solution for the nation's health-care system lies in public-private partnerships and in making the most of information technology.

“I think we need to keep our focus on the 45 million [uninsured Americans], and how we apply the innovations that have really been working moderately well for the 170 million who are in the employer-based system,’ Williams said. “We need to take what works and bring it over to the individuals and small business that have trouble getting access as well as affordability."

“This summit is about information technology, and I believe one of the ways to slow down the rate of increase is really applying health information technology to help improve the quality of care,” Williams said.