This Legislature is reaching across the isle by building a coalition of political constituents combined with business and labor sectors, medical professionals and patients to reform our health care system. I have been involved in canvassing the state with other legislators to educate and inform Minnesotans about our new “Minnesota Health Plan” proposal. I believe that in the very near future one of the most crucial affects on a family or individual’s budget will be the cost for health care. A recent article in the hometown papers said by the year 2013, health care costs could rise to 1/4th of your income. If this figure proves to be accurate, health care will be inaccessible to a significantly large portion of our state population. The effect on large and small businesses will be serious and more individuals and families will be left with little or no health care. I will work diligently to make health care affordable for all Minnesotans.
According to an article posted on Healthcarebusinesstoday.com, various groups are calling for action on the current health care crisis. The American Journal of Medicine is set to publish a Harvard study saying that nearly two-thirds of bankruptcies are a result of medical bills. Reading all these studies reminds me that my EHIC card has expired and that I should take care of that before I go home to the EU.
Small Business Minnesota also weighed in with a letter to the editor of the Star Tribune encouraging legislators to pass the Health Care Exchange Bill.