[HTML1] When caring for someone with a severe and possibly terminal illness, at what point do we cross the bridge between cure and comfort? And what does that look like? Today on Life Love & Health: Special Edition, Executive Producer Christopher Springmann speaks with Mark Ganz, President and CEO of Regence BlueCross BlueShield, and Ronald Brownstein, Editorial Director for the National Journal. Together they discuss palliative care, a holistic approach that treats the whole person, including management of pain and other symptoms, while supporting caregivers and families whose social and emotional needs must be addressed as well. Instead of relentless pursuit of a cure, dignity and compassion take center stage. Strangely, among the personal stories shared in our public conversation about health care, too few have dared to touch on the delicate subject of people getting more treatment yet not enough care. And often, many people receive referrals for palliative care a little later than is ideal. Mark Ganz and Ron Brownstein seek to change the public perception of palliative care, to drive both awareness and demand, to bridge the gap between cure and comfort, as this new method has evolved for people at ANY stage of illness: palliative care.
Segment A (0:00 – 11:00)
Life Love & Health: Special Edition Executive Producer Christopher Springmann speaks with Mark Ganz and Ron Brownstein about palliative care, dignity and compassion.
Segment B (11:01 – 22:00)
Mark Ganz and Ron Brownstein on palliative patient and caregiver support.
More about Mark Ganz
Mark B. Ganz is President and Chief Executive Officer of Regence BlueCross BlueShield, a regional not-for-profit health and life insurance company based in Portland and serving approximately two million people in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Utah. Mr. Ganz joined Regence in 1992, and has served the company in various roles including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer. He also served as President of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, one of the company’s major subsidiaries and the largest health-care insurer in the state. He has participated in the region’s ever-evolving health care community his entire life, and health care has become his personal and professional cause. The son of a Spokane, Washington physician, Mr. Ganz spent many childhood afternoons at his father’s family practice learning the importance of service, community and family. These values are the foundation of his efforts to transform Regence to a company that focuses on individuals and their families. His passion for service excellence is the cornerstone of his marketplace vision for Regence. Achieving this goal means staying true to the company’s community-based roots while working to create an economically sustainable health care system. Mr. Ganz has successfully transferred this dedication to serving others to an extraordinary record of community service. His civic leadership includes serving on the board of directors for Portland General Electric, Inc., U.S. Bank-Oregon Advisory Board, Oregon Business Council Executive Committee, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, America’s Health Insurance Plans, Boy Scouts of America-Cascade Pacific Council, JELD-WEN Tradition Foundation, Jesuit High School and the University of Portland Board of Regents. He also chairs the board of Greater Portland Inc., a regional economic development corporation. Mr. Ganz earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. While an undergraduate, he was a member of the staff of U.S. Senator Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson (D-Wash).
More about Ron Brownstein
Ronald Brownstein, a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of presidential campaigns, is National Journal Group’s Editorial Director, in charge of long-term editorial strategy. He also writes a weekly column and regularly contributes other pieces for both National Journal and The Atlantic, and coordinates political coverage and activities across publications produced by Atlantic Media. Prior to joining Atlantic Media, Mr. Brownstein was the National Affairs Columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He has also served as the Times’ National Political Correspondent and the author of the weekly Washington Outlook column. Mr. Brownstein is a National Journal alumnus, having served as the magazine’s White House and National Politics Correspondent from 1983-1986, and then as its West Coast Correspondent through 1989. He appears regularly on national television, including NBC, ABC, CBS, and MSNBC, and served as a political analyst for CNN from 1998 through 2004. His sixth and most recent book, The Second Civil War: How Extreme Partisanship Has Paralyzed Washington and Polarized America, was published by Penguin in November 2007. Mr. Brownstein was twice named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, receiving that recognition for his coverage of both the 1996 and 2004 presidential campaigns. In addition, he is the recipient of several journalism awards, including the Exceptional Merit in Media award from the National Women’s Political Caucus, the Excellence in Media award from the National Council on Public Polls in 2005, and the Journalist of the Year award from the Los Angeles Press Club in 2005. In 2007, the American Political Science Association presented him its Carey McWilliams award for lifetime achievement, granted to honor a major journalistic contribution to our understanding of politics.
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