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State Representative Jim Abeler
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-1729
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NEWS RELEASE
CONTROLLING HEALTH CARE COSTS IS JOB NUMBER ONE OF NEW HOUSE DIVISION
ST. PAUL – On Thursday, a new Minnesota House of Representatives committee will meet for the first time and it will have one single but vital goal – getting a grip on rising health care costs that are pinching both government and family budgets.
“There’s no more important issue facing the state right now,” said Rep. Jim Abeler, chair of the Minnesota House Health Care Cost Containment Division. “As private insurance costs continue to rise, fewer employers are offering coverage and more and more people are being driven to state health care plans.” Senator Linda Berglin, Chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Budget Division, added, “We must find ways to reduce the amount of medical inflation if Minnesota is to remain competitive and if we want to stem the trend of employers and employees discontinuing health care coverage.”
“Costs to the state system are growing enormously, and these higher health care costs are quickly crowding out funding for other priorities such as education, transportation and the environment,” Abeler said. “This committee will focus on finding new and innovative ways to address rising costs, as well as building on progress already made.” Rep. Tom Huntley, DFL Lead for the House Health Policy and Finance Committee, added “If the state does the job right, we can reduce costs and improve quality of health care at the same time. Governor Pawlenty’s Smart-Buy Approach is a good start.”
The House Health Care Cost Containment Division is a part of the House Health Policy & Finance Committee. By creating the new division, House leaders wanted to focus attention on the problem and be prepared to implement reforms more quickly. Speaker of the House Rep. Steve Sviggum mentioned, “Talking with citizens all over Minnesota you hear the words “health care costs” all the time. Rep. Abeler’s division is going to be the spot where the House of Representatives addresses the concerns, the problems, and the options, and puts together a bill addressing needed health care cost containment.”
FIRST REFORMS
Last session, the legislature made some important inroads on health care cost containment. Included were reforms that ensure health care practitioners engage in best practices, thus making sure consumers receive the latest evidence-based medicine. The Legislature also accelerated the use of cost-saving medical records technology and passed reforms to encourage purchasing alliances to bring lower cost insurance to farmers and small businesses. Finally, legislation was passed to spur the expansion of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), a lower-cost alternative to traditional health insurance that empowers consumers.
Abeler said the Division is calling upon businesses, the private insurance market, health care providers, and consumers to help devise ways for them to provide more affordable health insurance to employees so they’re not compelled to rely on government funded programs. Abeler is also inviting the public to contact his office with “fresh ideas” or suggestions about making health care more affordable. He plans to begin taking public testimony starting in early February, but wants anyone with ideas or concerns to contact his office, either by phone or
e-mail.
He added that he plans to work jointly with Senate health care committees to identify goals and strategies for legislative action. Senator Sheila Kiscaden, Chair of the Senate State Government Budget Division, agreed saying, “Health care costs and access to health care affect every Minnesota family, and there are no obvious pathways to solving this critical problem. It will require a dedicated bipartisan effort from the House and the Senate to find remedies.” Senator Becky Lourey, Chair of the Senate Health and Family Security Committee, stated that “Health care costs in this state are a multi-faceted problem. As we work on cost containment, we need to guarantee that the services provided are of the highest quality, and that all Minnesotans have access to them.”
“Controlling health care costs is a bipartisan issue,” Abeler said. “It’s a shared goal among DFLers and Republicans, and among House members and Senators. It’s job number one.”
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