WASHINGTON, March 6 (UPI) -- Regional forums on healthcare reform are being planned across the United States to discuss changes to the healthcare system, the White House said Friday.
The meetings were scheduled to build on Thursday's healthcare reform summit in Washington that involved lawmakers, individuals and representatives of different interests in the healthcare industry, aides said in a news release.
California, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina and Vermont will host the regional forums to discuss how to bring down healthcare costs while expanding coverage, the White House said. They are scheduled to occur in March and April.
"Healthcare reform is a fiscal imperative," U.S. President Barack Obama said. "The time for reform is now and these regional forums are some of the key first steps toward breaking the stalemate we have been stuck in for far too long."
The forums will bring together diverse groups of people all who have a stake in reforming our healthcare system, the White House said.
