By: Bob Scott, Associate Director, Membership and Operations

Many thanks to our voluntary health agency (VHA) and other nonprofit members who have renewed their membership benefits for 2022! As we are closing out this year’s renewal cycle, we wanted to take a minute to highlight some of the important benefits of being part of the National Health Council (NHC).

The NHC brings diverse organizations together to forge consensus and drive patient-centered health policy. The NHC provides a united voice for the more than 160 million people with chronic diseases and disabilities and their family caregivers. With your continued support of our mission, we envision a society in which all people have access to quality, affordable health care that respects personal goals and aspirations to promote their best possible health outcomes.

The National Health Council delivers a wide range of member services to help you succeed.

Through membership you participate in our policy-making process. Being part of the NHC strengthens your voice on systemic health issues in Washington, DC, that affect all patients – such as reducing barriers to access to care, advancing the creation of new treatments, and reducing health care costs.

The NHC provides access to deep policy resources and expertise on a broad range of complex issues that impact all people with chronic conditions. Our efforts have yielded the inclusion of multiple provisions in landmark legislation and subsequent regulatory implementation of the Affordable Care Act, 21st Century Cures, PCORI Reauthorization, FDA User Fee Reauthorization Acts, and more.

The NHC strives to share relevant policy work such as comment letters, working documents on policy positions, and white papers with its members well ahead of deadlines. This allows member organizations to utilize our materials for their own policy positions and responses.

NHC membership allows you to build your network within the broader health community through participation in our policy action teams, affinity groups, conferences, and ad-hoc briefings. Opportunities include:

• Monthly Policy Action Team meeting/calls focused on:
  • Health Care Reform
  • Medical Innovation
• Three annual, marquee conferences:
  • Health Leadership Conference for patient advocacy and nonprofit CEOs and their Board leadership*
  • Science of Patient Engagement Symposium
  • Washington Representatives Retreat for government relations staff*

*Health Leadership Conference and Washington Representatives Retreat are free for member nonprofit organizations and dependent on sponsorship for industry members.

• Networking groups for:
  • Chief Executive Officers
  • Chief Financial/Development Officers
  • Communications Staff
  • Chief Medical/Science Officers
• Ad-hoc meetings and briefings on relevant/timely topics such as:
  • The role of manufacturer rebates in the health care system
  • FDA guidances on Patient-Focused Drug Development

Being part of the NHC allows you to increase your organization’s public profile and outreach to the broader health community by:

• Submitting content for the NHC’s weekly, member newsletter NHC Insider;
• Highlighting your organization on the NHC Putting Patient First blog; and
• Promoting job openings in your organization on the NHC Job Bank.

Members are also provided information that can strengthen internal operations and provide knowledge on current issues facing the nonprofit sector, such as changes in charity rating systems, innovative fundraising techniques, relationships with the for-profit sector, and impacts of recent tax reform.

We also look to our membership for additional ideas on ways we can expand our benefits offerings. If you have ideas that can broaden our portfolio or want more information on the existing member benefits and opportunities, please contact the NHC Membership Team at membership@nhcouncil.org.