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State Representative John Ward
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4333
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
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CROW WING COUNTY AWARDED SHIP GRANT
State Rep. John Ward is pleased to announce that a State Health Improvement Program grant in the amount of $431 thousand has been awarded to the Crow Wing County Community Health Board. The program, created by the 2008 health care reform bill, is designed to help communities reduce obesity and smoking rates. The Crow Wing County grant is designated for planning and assessment of these prevention efforts.
“All health care experts agree that preventing chronic diseases is the best way to not only keep people healthy, but to also reduce health care costs," said Rep. Ward. “This program does both, and I have no doubt our community health board will put these funds to good use that will benefit the residents of Crow Wing County.”
SHIP was appropriated $47 million over 2010 and 2011, which is enough to allow every Minnesota county to participate. Governor Pawlenty proposed slashing the budget in half last year, but the House and the Senate were able to secure full funding.
The program is based on federal guidelines and has already been tested as pilot programs in several Minnesota communities. A local match of ten percent is required, and communities must be held accountable for making progress towards measurable outcomes. Non-partisan experts estimated the total savings to the state's health care system could $1.9 billion by 2015. Minnesota is the first state to invest in a chronic-disease-prevention program.
“Cutting this program would have meant that health care costs would continue to skyrocket for both public and private payers in Minnesota,” said Ward. “Working families are finding it more difficult every day to keep up with rising health care costs. Now more than ever, we need to work to keep the rein on health care costs in Minnesota.”
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