The National Governors Association (NGA) is a bipartisan organization representing the nation’s governors. NGA promotes visionary state leadership, shares best practices, and speaks with a unified voice on national policy.

Although the National Priorities have not gone through NGA’s policymaking process, NGA Executive Director Raymond Scheppach has been a key leader in helping the National Priorities Partnership identify the goals and priorities with the most potential for reducing waste, improving care, and strengthening accountability.

“Governors are eager for solutions that lower costs, boost safety, and cover their residents. The National Priorities Partnership is an opportunity for NGA to represent the state voice and work with other players in the healthcare industry to advance real change that will boost quality care and, in the long run, reduce the financial burden on states,” said Scheppach.

NGA’s Center for Best Practices Health Division supports advancements in states’ delivery of affordable, high-quality healthcare, providing support across a broad range of issues, including finance, service delivery, health insurance trends and innovations, prevention, aging and long-term care, and healthcare information technology. An August 2008 NGA Center issue brief focused on transparency in state health reform efforts, while a September 2008 report examined ways in which health information technology improves care.

To learn more about NGA, please visit www.nga.org.