January 19, 2009: Legislative Report #7
Introduction of Universal Healthcare
Adopted in 2006 with the support of then governor Mitt Romney, Massachusetts semi universal healthcare program began. The program only requires a minimum coverage of services for ALL residents and allows employers to carry private healthcare for employees, imposes a myriad of fees, fines, and penalties to participate in the program and for violating the law. In the first full year, the program is over budget by 20%. Massachusetts is receiving billions of federal dollars in extra subsistence funding to keep the state “Semi Universal Healthcare” program afloat. The projected per person annual cost is expected at $3,618 in 2010. Based on the information I have reviewed HF135 “Minnesota Universal Healthcare” proposed plan supported by Carolyn Laine, far exceeds medical services currently mandated in Massachusetts. In fact, I suggest you check your employer medical insurance plan. Compare your current employer paid coverage in addition to the premiums paid by your employer and you. Then ask what additional costs are required to provide equal coverage to Minnesota H.F. #135.
From the information, I can locate using Massachusetts current coverage and costs, then extrapolating that burden to Minnesota population the additional burden to the Minnesota taxpayer for “Universal Healthcare” coverage is $18,524,160,000.00 annually. Remember the listed medical services covered by Minnesota House File #135 are far more extensive than Massachusetts.
In addition, the Minnesota plan prohibits any competition from private employer, self-directed, or other government health insurance plans. NO competition of any kind and the plan requires participation by all Minnesota citizens.
Yes, healthcare has problems in Minnesota, and yes, we need to make changes. Government is not at any level designed to provide social programs. Just consider the conditions we currently have with programs like federal prescription drugs, Social Security, Medicare, and Welfare. Government can be a facilitator of partnerships, but being primary provider has been and continues being a disaster for our society. Carolyn Laine has no concept of state fiscal responsibility or our Constitutional restrictions on state functions. There is reality and then fantasyland the latter only occurs in a Hollywood movie or Disneyworld. The taxpayers of Minnesota cannot absorb the fantasyland concept of Universal Healthcare.
The Minnesota plan covers ALL:
01. Inpatient and outpatient health care facility services
02. Inpatient and outpatient professional health care provider services by licensed health care professionals
03. Diagnostic imaging
04. Laboratory services
05. Unspecified diagnostic and evaluative services
06. Medical equipment
07. Appliances
08. Unspecified assistive technology
09. Prosthetics
10. Eyeglasses
11. Hearing aids and repair
12. Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitative care
13. Emergency transportation
14. Unspecified necessary transportation for disabled and indigent persons access to health care
15. Language interpretation and translation for health care services
16. Sign language services
17. Braille language services
18. Other communication disability services as needed for medical care
19. Child immunizations and unspecified preventative care
20. Adult immunizations and unspecified preventative care
21. Unspecified Health education
22. Hospice care
23. Home healthcare
24. All prescription drugs formally on the Minnesota Health Plan
25. Any additional drugs specified by the new health board
26. Mental health services
27. Dental care
28. Podiatric care
29. Chiropractic care
30. Acupuncture
31. Blood and blood products
32. Emergency care services
33. Vision care
34. Adult day care
35. Case management and coordination to ensure services necessary to enable a person to remain safely in the least restrictive setting
36. Substance abuse treatment
37. Care an a skilled nursing facility
38. Dialysis