CCHC ASKS: "Where's the Beef in Legislative Hearings on Health Care Solutions?"

St. Paul - Although a state legislative committee began meeting today to consider "health care solutions," Citizens' Council on Health Care says the committee needs a major revision in their agenda to meet their goal.

"Why is there no plan to discuss minimizing third-party payment in health care? Nothing in the committee's agenda even hints at focusing on real health care solutions," said Twila Brase, president of CCHC.

"Health care costs, particularly administrative costs, have escalated as a result of heavy third-party involvement in the financing of health care," she said, referring to government, health plans, and employers.

Committee hearings began today
A joint committee of the House Health Care Cost Containment Division, the Senate Health and Family Security Committee and the Senate Government Budget Division is holding a three-part "Health Care Solutions Series" today, January 31, and February 16.

Proposals and ideas under committee consideration include:

• statewide electronic health information system
• report cards on health care providers
• providing coverage for the uninsured
• electronic health records
• outside management of patient care
• a government role in private market

"More government in health care is not a solution," argued Ms. Brase. "And intruding on the patient-doctor relationship violates patient and privacy rights."

Real solutions for health care, she said, should include:

• Opening up Minnesota's health insurance market to all insurers
• Repealing costly mandated benefits
• Minimizing regulations and time-consuming paperwork
• Allowing residents to purchase insurance from outside Minnesota
• Purchasing real health insurance, not costly prepaid health care.

"When the legislature begins discussing how to restore market competition and minimize third-party involvement in health care, that's when we'll all know they're serious about exploring real solutions to the health care problems Minnesota residents face," Ms. Brase concluded.