Candidate unveils MN Universal Health Care proposal

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

From MPR:

St. Paul, Minn. — Hutchinson and his running mate, Dr. Maureen Reed, have developed a plan they say will provide better health care for Minnesotans at a lower cost.

One piece of their plan is a mandate that Minnesotans acquire basic health coverage, either through private insurance or state subsidized plans, as the state of Massachusetts is doing.

They also want to cut administrative costs in half by the year 2010 - saving as much as $800 million a year. Hutchinson says improving Minnesota's health care system would be his top priority as governor.

Not posted as an endorsement of a candidate. To rein in health care inflation will require larger groups. I think whichever candidate is elected that establishing larger risk groups of insureds will be a priority.

[azhiker96, BSN, RN]

Interesting proposal. I don't know how they would enforce requiring people to get healthcare. What would they do if an uninsured person showed up at the ER? (Just wondering if anyone knows more about the plan, how it would handle this.)

I do like the idea of charging higher premiums for folks who make choices that increase their health care costs. I saw this help modify behavoir when I worked for Texas Instruments. They instituted a $10/month surcharge for smokers which convinced several of my friends to quit the habit.