A new report by Community Catalyst, Building on the Foundation: Consumer Advocacy’s Role in Successful Health Care Reform, looks at how advocacy efforts–such as HCFANY–have influenced the federal health care reform. Advocates have raised their voices to make sure that legislation makes health insurance more affordable, provides greater consumer protections in the health insurance market, and supports delivery system reform to improve quality while reducing costs.

The passage of federal health reform legislation will see the role of  advocacy groups change, but does not lessen their influence and importance.  Advocacy groups will be an essential element to ensure successful health reform implementation.