Q: Who participates on the Forum?

A: The Forum includes practitioners, hospitals, health plans, and purchasers. Board members represent prominent statewide associations, health systems, and health plans. The CEOs of the member organizations drive the Forum's activities and they demonstrate their commitment personally and financially.

Q: Why was the Forum established?

A: When the leadership of the member organizations first began meeting, we realized that the private healthcare market needed to come up with ways to increase the efficiency of the financing and delivery system, and decrease the hassle factor between providers and health plans.

Q: What kind of work does the Forum do?

A: We began our work by targeting two key areas: administrative simplification and electronic solutions for the secure exchange of information. We later added a series of projects to help the health care community prepare for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) implementation in October of 2003. In June of 2008, we expanded our efforts in public policy and regulatory affairs, recognizing that system changes are necessary to reduce costs, improve quality, and increase access.

Q: Where can I learn more about administrative simplification?

A: In 2008, OneHealthPort began managing administrative simplification.

Q: Who pays for the Forum's activities?

A: The Forum is a self-sustaining organization whose members fund the work they do.