2007 Legislative Survey – Lowering Health Care Costs Top Issue
At the end of last session, I sent out a survey to constituents in the District 64 A to see what issues were most important in our district. The results from the survey express that lowering health care costs is the top issue for our district, and I am not surprised.
The health care system in Minnesota and the United States is obsolete. Most Minnesotans have seen their health care costs shoot through the roof over the past few years. Worse, thousands of Minnesotans still have no health care coverage whatsoever. These results further illustrate our state's need to transform the way we provide health care to Minnesotans. I believe if we take bold action we can lower health care costs for everyone and at the same time make sure every Minnesotan has health care coverage that is affordable.
Many in the district completed their survey before August 1, the day the 35W Bridge collapsed. Since then we have had a flood in south eastern Minnesota. Many in the district have experienced steep increases in property taxes. The economy in Minnesota has slowed. Making health care more affordable will help Minnesota families. Investing in Minnesota’s infrastructure will create jobs and that will help Minnesota families too. The session, just a month away, will be busy. I hope we make progress for all of us. That is my goal.
Below are the complete survey results. I welcome any questions or comments you may have.
Most Important Issues
1. Lower health care costs 26%
2. Funding for K-12 and Early childhood education 21%
3. Restore and preserve MN's environment 19%
4. Funding for transportation and transit 14%
5. Permanent property tax relief 12%
6. Reduce tuition at state colleges and universities 4%
7. Other 4%
Top Health Care Priority
1. Expand MinnesotaCare, the state health insurance plan for working Minnesotans, to ensure that the 70,000 MN children without health insurance are covered. 31%
2. Reform overall delivery system to reduce costs and assure access for everyone. 30%
3. Allow small businesses to buy into the large MinnesotaCare purchasing pool at full price in order to provide affordable coverage to their employees. 21%
4. Negotiate discounts with drug companies to provide drug discounts to the uninsured and seniors in Medicare part D. 18%
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