The cost of health care is rising at a time when people are increasingly struggling to pay for it. Nearly three out of four Americans today worry that their income will not keep up with the rising cost of health care.

How can we get the health care we need? How can we pay for it?

Across the United States, people say that health-care costs are too high, too many are uninsured, and too many don't get the care they need. But it is not easy to reach agreement on just what we should do.

To find a solution, we all will need to play a part.

Citizens have to make decisions together before they can act together. Acting together is essential for addressing problems that can’t be solved by just one group of people or one institution.

To foster public dialogue on the rising costs of health care, the National Issues Forums Institute developed this Web site, which is based on an issue book, Coping with the Cost of Health Care: How Do We Pay for What We Need?

By completing the workbook and sharing your stories and ideas, you can contribute to a national dialogue on health-care affordability. You can also register for the chance to be part of a series of online deliberations.

The workbook will help you learn about and reflect on a challenge that concerns us all. Perhaps it will inspire you to take action by working with others in your community.