Volume 3. Number5

Access PrEss SOURCES RESOURCES May10,1992

HealthRight Passes - T:-.2 Sponsors Tell Us All About It - -

The initial flurry of pub- not widely understood. Ogren,and both of theiropin- Diagnostic, rehabilitation, licity abut bdiawwta's ion articles follow on pages 6 out-patient lab and x-rayi rtebvm&icalpbbs& The real experts on & 7. n t . .., home health and mental sided and an amazing HealthRight are the original . := ' ~ 3 ' - I., r health services amounrof misinformation sponsors ?and tireless advo- How It Wonks has surfaced in the form cam) who kept the process Who's Eligible and When of rumors and speculation moving until it became law.

, -5 - on timetables, costs and So, ACCESS PRESS asked -1,1992 &WtStwkd Immunizations availability of the insur- Senator Linda brglin and siblings with a child in the Vision care ance. "The Gang of Repm@&xeF&Ogrenm Children's Health Plan may E y e g l a s s e s f ~ r k i d s a n d ~ ~ ; ~

I nesota legislature shut down ries of sham public hearings, board members) at the legis- net that supplements acces- I dren may enroll. Unless 10 &cent for inpatient I

. - bility and were, frankly, SION FOR TRANSIT" The just published 1991 An- lation -rather than serve as a a subsidy are eligible to buy and subject to $10,000 an- && shocked that there was no whichdoes not include Metro nual Report of the RTB starts comprehensive public tran- into the Health Right plan. nual benefit limit - July visible concern over the is- Mobility as a primary source with amessage from Michael sit service for those with People over income guide- 1,1993 sue. We expected at least to of transportation. Instead, it Ehrlichmann, chairman, in mobility limitations. New lines should be able to buy 50 Percent for hear some response to the is listedas aL'safety net". The which he notes that the main criteria willbe in placeby the affordable insurance in the preventive dental; kids are pleas by those affected and very term "safety net" has missionof theRTB istomove summer of f 992. private market. fully covered

''- by William A. Smith, Jr. January 1,1994: Shgkdml~ TtK hllowing co-payments

A lot of us watched the Min- and while conducting a se- by the chairman (and the be changed to act as a safety and households w i l h 0 ~ t ~ ~ ~ - k required:

abandonment of Metro Mo- their own agenda called "VI-

the demands made by the fallen into such disrepute af- people where they want to $3.00 per prescription for Regional Transit Board ter

4 - -

(RTB). administration'sabuseofthe of the statement makes no issue of the RTB MESSEN- uninsured for at least 4 ered term, I regard it asan insult to mention of Metro Mobility GER, an official publication: months to be eligible. The $25.00foradulteyegli~~ses;

1 Wehdnorhing. the public. And, of course, cutbacks, but touts the new plan targets the uninsured by kids are fully covered people don't ride "safety Vision for Transit, which he Here's what Val Higgins, a requiring employees to wait m

aftter the fact, it was apparent nets" to work each day or to says benefits every resident new board member has to say 18 months for eligibility. k' A

that there was no discussion. amovie in the evening. They in the region. on the subject: "Right now How is it Financed - Our representatives in the need buses and taxis andvans. people with disabilities de- How Do You Enroll Cigarette tax is increased

- 1 ]

legislature and the senate Gregory Andrews, the Ex- pend on Metro Mobility be- Health Right will be admin- by 5 cents per pack for j accepted the governor's pro- Reading the latest publica- ecutive Director of the RTB, cause it's convenient and isteredprincipally through the start-up money I

posal to add $1,500,000 to tions of the RTB, however, notesthatthe boardincreased quite often, is the only option Departments of Health and January 1,1993: 2percent ' the Metro Mobility budget clarify thesituation. Theonly fares for Metro Mobility in they have available. Unfor- HumanServices. Enrollment tax on hospital gros? rev- 4 without a whimper. This unanswered question seems 1991 but says the changes in tunately, some people think information will be widely enues - amount almostcovers a defi- to be the timing of thechange eligibility and certification wearegoing to changeMetro publicized. The telephone January 1,1994: 2 percent cit created in 1991 when the in plans. Whendid"V1SION will help bring the program Mobility in a way that will numbersare 1-800-657-3672 grossrevenue tax expanded program wasprovidingclose FORTRANSIT'becomethe within its available budget. limit their travel patterns. and 612-287-3862. I to include other healthcare i to full service and optimisti- mission of the Board? Ap- Instead, we are working to - d providers and wholesale h cally predicting improve- parently,wellbeforethepub- There is a brief mention of make all transit more acces- What Benefits are Covered drug distributors -. X&' ments. lic hearings in late 1991. So the fare increase which was sible so that people will have in the HealthRight Plan January 1,1996: 1 percent

the die was cast, the hearings ruled discriminatory by the many choices in addition to h insurance premium tax on F >

gparently by the end of the lack of support for future Finally, there is the state- for Transit Funding Grow- sician and clinic services NOTE: The 2 percent H O W IT W 0 R K . C Cnnt nn n 7

The support promised last were for show, and the i&t- Minnesota urna an ~ i ~ h t s ~ e & o Mobility." The plan builds on the non-profi~payerslike~lue GovernorCarlson tention of the chairman and deparunentand thus lowered Children's Health Plan which Cross,

ever materialized leading board members at the hear- to the maximum permitted. Michael Ehrlichmann's col- covers: e agency into a deficit. ings makes more sense. The umn is headed "Momenulm Out-patient hospital, phy-

ear, the RTB had given up, funding of Metro Mobilit

2 May 10,1992 Access Press

N ~ W State Trust Law Could I Building Community Effect Perso'ns With Disabilities I Across Disabilitv Lines

I 0

by Arnie Gruetzmacher Date: May 29,1992 ment, Transportation, Educa- participate in the challenge to .- . Time: 8:30 - 4:00 prn tion and Recreation. We will examine what common

A new trust provision will go into effect July 1,1992. This new provision states "A pro- vision in a trust created after July 1, 1992, purporting to make assets or income un- available to a beneficiary, if the beneficiary applies for or is determinedeligible for pub- lic assistanceorapublic health care program, is unenforce-

avoiding paying nursing home costs, however it also effects anybody that is using a trust as a planning device t~ protect assets for a person with a dis- ability.

Many persons with disabili- ties are depending on a trust that will be created from an- other persons wiil, such as

to talk to a lawyer or a financial planner to see how tbis will affect your particular situation. It may be possible to change the form of the trust to offset the effect of this new law, but professional advice ,will be required.

There is currently an effort underway to attempt to amend - -

able." their ~arents. called a testa- or clarifv this new change so

- - --' --- This will elim hate a very comes effective when the par- wal nbt:@iniluded. importantplanning too1 that is ent or other interested person used extensively for financial dies, which more than likely (Arnie Gruetzmacher is Re- planning for a person with a will be after July 1, 1992. gional Director of Estate disability. Theoriginal intent PlanningfirPersons with Dis- of the law was to prevent For people who are relying on abilities) wealthy senior citizens from a testamentary trust it will be

Place: Minneapolis Society for the Blind

Come join us for a one day workshop designed to in- crease understanding and communication between dis- ability groups, Issues will be addressed in areas of Employ-

examine together the simi- ground we have and increase laritiesand differences among communication across dis- several disability groups. The ability lines. workshop will focus on blind, mobility impaired, hard-of- For more information call: hearing, deaf, and deaf-blind, Minneapolis Society for the and multiply handicapped. It Blind 871-2222 is not hard to see how we Lolly Lijewski 673-0439 differ from each other. Come

ARC Minnesota G - ' - - - - - --- - - - - - . - -- -

f u n k s e r by ~rc '~innesota . - Arc Minne- Dave Moore of WCCO TV will be the honor- sota is the founder of a nationwide move- ary chairman of the evening. ment dedicated to helping people with de- velopmental disabilities. They currently have Variety abounds, with Moore by Four and the 54 chapters in Minnesota alone, with over Sheik's Sextet being joined by The Medicine 7000 members in counties throughout the Show Music Company. Jearlyn Steele Battle, state. Kate MacKenzieand Peter Ostroushko will be

there as well as nationally renowned jazz

Washington County Home An annual event, the Minnesota Celebrity pianist Butch Thompson. Gala will be heldatOrchestraHal1. All of the performers donate their services, many of Ticket prices start at $10.00. For ticket infor-

Modification Program Starts May 4 them annually for this event. POP, jazz. and mation, call 333-6621.

Washington County Housing provideasmuchasa~grant may not be available until tt md Redevelopment Author- to a home owner living in middle of June. Intereste ty (HRA) has developed -.a Washington County for adap- parties should contact tt lewprogram forpersons with tive housing modification. Washington County HRA ;

jhysical disabilities and sen- 321 Broadway Ave., St. Pal lory impairments. Called the Applications are being taken Park, MN 55071. Telephor 'Home Mod" program, it can now, although final funding 458-0936.

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HOW It Works -co"t.frompage1

vider tax excludes revenue from Medicare, Medicaid, Health Right, GAMC, uncompensated care and nurs- ing home payments.

NOTE: Providers get an av- erage 25 percent increase in Medicaid, children's health plan and GAMC reimburse- ments for outpatient care be- ginning October 1, 1992.

What's in the Bill for Small Business

with 2 to 29 employees - one plan has a $500 per person and $1,000 per fam- ily deductible ... the other is based on co-paysrather than deductibles. The bill expands the Public Employee Insurance Pro- gram (PEIP) to allow pri- vate sector groups to form large pools to access better rates. Dependent students can now stay on their parents' policy until age 25.

The bill offers two basic What's in the Bill for HeaUh

Physicians will get an aver- age 24 perkent increase in medical assistance reim- bursements for primary care starting October 1,1992. Hospitals will get an aver- age 20 percent increase in medical assistance reim- bursements for outpatient services starting October 1, 1992. While hospitals av- erage less in the MA in- crease, they also pay less in MA surcharges which draw down federal dollars for the increase.

Rebasing will move more - benefit plans for businesses Care Providers HOW IT WORKS - Cont. on p. 6

I I I I

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Access Press May 10,1992 3 A

' ~ ~ 7 Sister Kennv Institute May Is Better Hearing And Speech Month

The power and wonder of the spoken word is reflected in. the face of a child as she care- fully speaks a first word to her proud and excited parents. On the other end of the spectrum, an elderly man, disabled by a paralyzing stroke, struggles to make himself understood to his children. May is Better Hearing and Speech Month, and the Speech-Language Pathology Department at Sis- ter Kenny Institute wants you to take care of your communi- cative health.

A variety of communication problems may result from brain injuries or disease, and even carelessness in our daily activities. Then the ability to communicate is lost, replaced by the struggle of trying to make oneself understood.

tening to excessively loud music can cause hearing loss, the volume on radios and tape players used with earphones should not be turned up more than half way.

Occupational noise-induced hearing loss is acondition that develops after prolonged and repeatedexposure to high lev- els of noise. Although a hear- ing loss may not be apparent for as many as 10 years after exposure, any improvement in the work environment that would reduce noise-induced hearing loss in new workers would also benefit existing workers. Hearing protection devices should be worn by all woJrers in noisy environ- ments.

The Occupational Safety and Health Adminisaaticn WHA) reports that 9.4 million U.S.

cer of the larynx (voice box), mouth, and esophagus. Ex- cessive use of alcohol com- bined with smoking further increases the incidence of oral or laryngeal cancer.

Among U.S. males, use of tobacco is responsible for about 90 percent of all lung cancer, and 75 percent of all tumors of the mouth, phar- ynx, larynx and esophagus. For U.S. females, tobacco use is responsible for 75 percent of the lung cancers, and 40 percent of all tumors of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus. Inaddition,chew- ing tobacco may also cause cancer of the mouth.

Smokers in certain occupa- tions are at increasedrisk from the cambination of cigarette smoking andexposure to toxic substances such as dust from

Communication is a complex process, involving the follow- ing steps:

- You must be alert in order to receive information from your surroundings;

- You must concentrate on the information you are receiv- ing;

- You must remember, or re- tain the information in the order or sequence it was given;

- You must analyze and com- pare the information with what you already know in order to bring meaning to what is occumng;

- You must organize and re- late the information with your ideas, feelings, and beliefs so you can under- stand the interaction with your surroundings and pre- dict what may result from it;

- You must then integrate and

further hindering the process- ing of new information. The individual's communication with othersreflects theconfu- sion and disorganization the person is experiencing.

Speech-lanme pathologists specialize in evaluation and treatment of speech, language, voice, swallowing, and cog- nitive problems. Some of the common head trauma ail- ments seen by speech-lan- guage pathologists at Sister Kenny Institute Speech-Lan- guage Pathology include:

Aphasia- a1anguagepnx'~ss- ing disorder resulting from damage to the "language ar- eas" of the brain, usually on the left side.

Dysarthria- a disorder char- acterized by slurred or dis- torted speech caused by a

ing oral cancer, cerebral palsy and brain tumors.

Dysphagia- a swallowing disorder caused by a number of conditions including stroke, head trauma, MS and cancer.

:L- .

Communication problems associated with noise expo- sure, stroke, cancer, mental retardation, brain injuriesand

4 other factors are often pre- ,-,: ventable. "Prevention - z works,"says JaneHorn. "It's never too early to begin prac- . ticing a healthier lifestyle." A

To submit questions on !: medical or rehabilitative is- '2% sues for future columns, write: Medical Issues and Disability, Sister Kenny In- stitute, Dept. 16601,800 E: 28th St., Minneapolis, MN 55407-3799.

p.oductionworkerseither~~)w cotton, silica and coal; fumes organize your reactions into variety of conditions incl-ud- mil :a p'." '."~ommunication is the m- work or have worked in in-

bdi cess by which we receiverand dustrial locations with noise- from rubber and chlorine; and fibers from asbestos. Ura-

.- give messages and share exposurelevelsof 8Odecibels nium miners who smoke also feel;

:::.:%* .-m,..T...m meaninnandideas,"says Jane or higher. As a result of their faceinc~cancerriskover - Now you are ready to Vans- b;$f$@@g

- --, &rn, speech-~an- occupational exposure, 17 iy .- rmaaehghlom. 'Wecando pencent of these workers have

nonsmoking miners.

Controlling high blood pres- sure is anotherhn-m.

Other skills may not be as ventative measure. . ~e;$:$ obvious, but are &pally nec- 500,OQO A~~I'@$w nffkr essary. These are related ta sirah mu-*. of

txmtdd'888mgeas&- cer deaths, 75 percent of

cognitive functioning and in- these patients suffer from esophagealcancerdeaths, and while remembering and orga- clude the ability ta p y atten- s l d or imprecise speech tion and concentrate bn the which is difficult to under-

30 percent of fatal liver can- cers.

tasks at hand; remembering stand. The National Heart, Thesebasic cognitive skills- information and using that Lung andBloodinstituteesti- Aside from those behaviors paying attention, remember- &#@& infdmation to solve problems mates two-thirdsof those who we can undertake to safeguijrd ing and organizing informa- in our lives, and organizing sufferastrokehavehighbload our communicative health, tio- crucial to the com- thoughts in ways that make pressure. Addit idy, the there are many communica- municatiod grocess. se& and can be understood by our listeners. All of these skills are essential to mean- ingful and effective commu- nication.

In order to safeguard ourcom- municative health, there are many simple things we can do. One of the most obvious is to maintain a healthy voice. Excessive coughing, throat clewing, crying and scream- ing are harmful to the voice. Coughing and throat clearing associated with colds can strain or imtate the larynx, leading to temporary voice loss known as laryngitis. If this occurs, excessive talking should be avoided to give the larynx time to recover. Whis- pering also should be avoided in order to maintain a healthy voice. Likewise, talking loudly to be heard over exces- sive noise can strain the voice.

Avoiding prolonged exposme to loud noise is an excellent way to protect against hear- ing impairment. Because lis-

American Heart Asmiation ~ 1 1 p e r c e n t ( 2 4 0 , 0 0 0 cases) of strokes could be pre- vented if smoking wereelimi- nated.

In order to guard against the risk of stroke, report to your doctor any signs of minkmkes. 'Ihese precur- sors of a full blown stroke are characterized by sudden dim- ming or loss of vision; paraly- sis or sagging of one side of the face; dizziness, usually with a loss of vision; tempo- rary difficulty in speaking or understanding speech; or loss of muscle cooldination. These conditions should be reported to a doctor even when symp- toms disappear in a few hours. Following your doctor's or- ders can mean the difference between health and recurring symptoms including a stroke.

Another way to protect your communicative health is to stop smoking. Smoking is causally associated with can-

tion problems which may re- sult from head injury. Prob- lems following traumatic brain injury may include dif- ficulty speaking due to weak- ness and i n a n a t i o n of the muscles used for speech and - voice, and difficulty under- standing and expressing ideas because of a disturbance in language functions or im- paired hearing.

When cognitive functioning is reduced it is reflected in all areas of interaction within a person's environment. Indi- viduals with. these cognitive problems respond to their sur- roundings in a confused, dis- organized manna and expe- rience difficulty analyzing, problem solving and learning new information. Short-term memory may alsobe affected,

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Comments by Peter McLaughlin

Hello Nicole: Iieinepin County ~ommksioner

ing, test results and, for MIS positions, ranking on their oral

wereevaluated and ranked against all other job appli- cants, County Departments

............... ..................................... and provides a one-year the Co~nmunity Services De- with personnel vacancies then .'aimt#i ~~ training and internship partment joined the BAC and receive a listing of the top I fi

curriculum -leading to the has added new opportunities During 1985 the IBM corpo- placement as an entry level and support for the training ration called together the computer programmer. Col- program. As members of the Chief Information Officers lege level credit is earned by BAC, Hennepin County staff

seven applicants for consid- eration. Graduates from the MRC training program have consistently been ranked

................................................................ ............ I from major Twin Cities cor- students in the program have served as guest instruc- among. the top seven for, all ,'mi@~fgdas'*j;i::jii$jH'i& ws!t porationstodiscussthepossi- through the Minneapolis tors providing technical and openpositions. ............ ......... ; .................................................... .. ;... ; ................. ................................................................... .... bility of implementing the Community College. Finan- business-oriented presenta-

I model computer training pro- cia1 suppo~and student refer- tion to students; reviewed gram it had designed for per- rals have consistently come cuniculum;conductedadmis-

The partnership of business and government through the

I sons with severe physical dis- from the Minnesota Division sjon interviews and partici- BAC with this specialized abilities. One of the key as- of Rehabilitation Services, pated in quarterly progress program is working. At pects of the IBM model is the formation of a Business Ad- visory Council (BAC) to as- sist operations staff in cur-

State Services for the Blind, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, and private insurers.

evaluations of students. Hennepin County eight per- sons with disabilities are now fully employed and, accord- ing to their supervisors, are

To date, eight students have completed internships within ............................... I riculumdevelopment,student The MRC Computer Train- Hennepin County. Two were performing their work well. lntg@a@&@ry

recruitment, selection and evaluation, development of internship opportunities, and placement. Among the initial

ing Program is currently train- ing its seventh class. The first six classes have graduated 53 individuals, 49 of whom were

hired within the Information Services Department as pro- grammer trainees, and six in- dividuals were hirq in the

This parulership is definitely a win-win-win, that is, aplus for the employees, Hhnepin County as employer, and the

30 respondents was the Di- successfully placed in data Community Services Depart- taxpayers. It is a great ex- rector of Hennepin County's processing positions. The ment, four as Management ample of how training can

two years was $25,500 per trainees. At the present time zens. The early BAC meetings year. seven of these individuals and sulted in thedevelopmentof a one additional program gradu-0 .The MRC Computer Train-

I gram. 1t is &rated by ~ u l t i - County's in-house data pro- County all of these individu- apply or have questions about f$

. Resource Centers, Inc. cessing staff) has been an ac- als had to compete for their the program, please contact $ ! .... (MRC). The program is tive participant on the BAC. positions under the Colinty's JaneLarson, Director,at 871- @ .:::.>

geared for individuals with In the Fall of 1989, the Infor- open-competitive hiring pro- 2402. 3 ::.>:, .... ... .... severe ~hvsical disabilities mation Resources Propfam of cess. Their experience. train- zir

I 'To the WW: I

A prime example of IYll is ladmPipmthepartof0w; ent voter, but how can they dlu- by the fw ;ro - Carlsan; the cman justify what will amount

acdrized very often by kudos lives of d i s a k l e d c i ~ wht) -- Henj Kallis; and ness which we &eforgraatd and criticisms. depend daily on its senic4 othermerah of the legisla- ai the right and privilege of

They depend on it for m e d i d turn, all of wrh9m knew that being whole? As the session is evduatedby smviw, fnrw&f' social/ the$lSIO,aX)mmmencM the concerned cmstituency, recrqWneeds,forchu~b ww far iort of the needed. Harold Kemer it becomes clear to tk@a that 9 1 P d d h m y orheradvan- d o k to maintain thesystea. Minneapolis while hallmark kgislation tagm of am&mity living s$ at its current level of service.

Healthrite) other legisZaPon disabled romrnuniEy. . These unaffected individuals critical @the livesof dismad will see themselves as having . -_

ACCESS PRESS .. '. people died bemiuse of the The m a w this program done what they couldand will lack of leadership. I

- - - -

hclcdlhcf*g&ws this letter as being ~ u b l b h v .................. - .......... ................ ............. ......me h ' ~ m i t h , JI. duein alargemmuretofailed that of a dismntled constitu- ~dfboa ....,.;....,...............,.................................. ............................. Charles smith I

I Staff WrfterlPhdographer ..,..,............ . ,,.................... . . .......... . Adam Qulnh I .I Cartoonist .., ......,......., ,..... ......... ....,... ............... .......... .......... Scott A W l

Voice Control for: . . ......... Production ................................ .. ...................... J . . . . Presentation Images Circulation-Distribution Manager ................,...-. ..... ..................................... Renee Smith I I ACCESS PRESS is a month1y tabloid newspapler *tisip3 for pasons with disabifiti~ @

Polychrome, Ltd., W.A. Smith, Jr., President. C h W i s 10,000, distributed the first w & q E w month through more than 100 locations smtewida. Appmximat&ly 650 wpies are mailed m y @I

political, business, institutional and civic leaders. M p t i o n s are available for Slyyl. - I Lights Beds * . D w s RadioITV

Appliance Security Deal&= in ~ubmat ic Door Openers

Editorial submissions and news releases an topics of interest to persons withdiibiliti&, qr pawns serving those with disabilities, are welcomed. .I Paid advextising is available at rates ranging frm $6 to Sl2/wlurnn inch, &p+hg a &&and frequency. ClassifKd ads are $7.00. plus 20 cents/wd over 35 words. . I I Adv-g and editorial deadlines are the 30th of $e month preceding pubfication; special

scheduling available for camera-ready art. For Quality, Reliability, and Service Contact Minnesota ~utomated l'kchnologies, Inc. Inquiries should be directed m: ACCESS PRESS 3338 University Ave. SK. Minne~poliis. .

Umnesota 55414 (612) 379-0989 Fax (612) 379-2730 1

An entry indicates that park facility is likely to be functional for most people

by Lisa Taylor Lake with physical disabilities. Spring has arrived at the Min- Picnic areas are open in two nesotaLandscape Arboretum! sites, or you may lunch at any Daffodils and tulips are ofthebenchesalongthepaths. blooming in great sweeps of There are also day and evening color. The rock garden with classes in gardening topics.

blooms to come. The magno- (Arboretum members may l iamis in full fragrant bloom rent facilities for private func- and forsythia is not far be- tions). hind. There are even early sprouts of radishes, onions and Free walking tours are offered strawberries in the Home every Tuesday and Wednes-

As summer progresses, the September. The tours are 90 gardens will continue to un- minutes long and start at the fold with each bloom in its lobby reception desk. season: Iris in May through

Cost is $1.50 perrider, infants ride free. The tram has space

The Arboretum's gardens are for two wheelchairs. Tickets linkedbypaved, handicapped- are available at the lobby re- accessible paths. The Rose ception desk. Garden's addition, under con-

reserve bus or walking tours

two weeks in advance.

&rims, al l with aganien- Ramsey County Parks Idor- 3p&m: 777-1707

,- Andasen Horticultoral Li- Hennepm Parks Information ' bray has nedy 10,000 vol- 559-m,TDD 559-6719 - umes and hundreds d peri-

odicals and flyers on M c u l - City of Minneapolis Parks td and gardening topics. Information 348-2226 There is a seztion covering R e c d o n LRisureLhe (24- horticultund therapy, which .hr. recorded info) 348-7275 tells of gardening techniques

. wndmodificatimsthatcan~- City of St. Paul Parks cornmodate gardeners who information 292-7400 aren't able to bend down, or usecertain tds,or haveocher City of Richfield Woad Lake limitations that canb mom- Nature Center

.godated with alternative Information 861-9365

~ssessibil& Specialists Module ramp available for rent 1 L ..-

~r3ecializd tra~s~ortan~an for e ~ a i i y and handicapped. WE CAN IMPROVE YOUR HOME LIFE Ramps & Decks Domay Alterations

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- - - - - 7.' _ . ' t - . - ' 79 - I , . - P . -

6 May 10,1992 Access Press

During the eighties, overall health care spending rose 163 percent. By 1991, health care equaled 12.2 percent of our total Gross National Product (GNP). These increases are cutting into the budgets of government, business and families.

According to the President's Budget Director Richard Darman, health care spend- ing will overtake Social Se- curity as the biggest item in the federal budget by the year 2000 if reforms are not made.

He warns that these increases are jeopardizing the nation's long term economic stability and sinking the federal gov- ernment deeper into debt.

In 1991, Mr. Darman told Senate Finance Committee members, "I would contend.. . (this) is not realistic. Some- where, somehow, something

- is going to have to give."

Health Riaht Health Care I C0n d it i 0 tl by senator Linda Berglin

summer. physician services,dental,eye be popular since they are less preexisting condition limita- ers of health care. care, chemical dependency costly than plans currently on tions or exclusions. An im-

Theplan,calledHealthRight, treatment, mental health ser- the market and they will pro- portant change requires that Health care access and cost is acomprehensiveproposal vices, outpatient hospital ser- videemployers with healthier, insurance is portable, allow- issues vary greatly in to control health care costs, vices, and inpatient services more satisfied employees. ing workers to change jobs Minnesota's rural areas com- reform our insurance indus- with a $10,000 limit on inpa- and take their insurance with pared to its metro region. To

try, provide greater access to health care providers in rural areas, and offer subsidized health care coverage to Minnesota's "working poor." It is a reformer's bill, not a revolutionary's bill. It builds upon the strengths of our sys- tem.

This pioneering proposal was supported by both Democrats and Republicans, as well as several organizations repre- senting medical providers, insurance companies, labor, business, seniors andchildren.

HealthRight is an important step forward for Minnesota. I believe it may also be a blue- print for other states to work from.

HealthRight begins by recog- nizing that access and cost control are linked together. Therefore, HealthRight in- cludes several proposals to expand access to health care in both the individual and

tient services. HealthRight will be coordinated with our medical asshnce spenddown program so the inpatient hos- pital limit will not apply to children, single parents or unemployed families. The poorest of the working poor will receive larger subsidies, those making more, receive smaller subsidies. The state will contract with managed health care providers for both the HealthRight program and for the families on medical assistance. Our goal is to eliminate the stigma of wel- fare from our medical pro- grams while providing care through the most cost effec- tive system.

Besides income eligibility limitations, participants must also be permanent state resi- dents and have lived in the state for at least six months. Eligible participants mustalso have been uninsured for at least 4 months.

Benefits for these plans are basic. They emphasize pre- ventive care while including some prescription, mental health and chemical depen- dency coverage. Additional benefits are available.

Another option for all busi- ness will be to join an insur- ance pool with counties, cit- ies and school districts. This new underwriting option al- lows employers to spread the health care risks of their em- ployees among a larger popu- lation than insurance compa- nies presently provide. This reduces the cost of insurance and also stabilizes the insur- ance pool.

This plan offers employers a broader benefit package than what's included in the other business plans. Employers choosing this option are re- quired to pay for at least one- half of each employee's pre- mium.

them without losing coverage or being denied care for cer- tain illnesses or having fur- ther pre-existing exclusions in their policies.

To assist self-employed in their attempts to afford health care coverage, all farmers and other self-employed people will be allowed to deduct the entire cost of their personal health insurance premiums from their state income taxes.

Expanding access is only half the problem, however, so HealthRight includes several provisions to control cost as well. Some of these provi- sions include:

-uniform billing forms and procedures to reduce spend- ing on administrative costs; -medical practice guidelines/ parameters will be created to minimize unnecessary and ineffective care; -creation of stateand regional boards to set the future rate of

better address these rural ques- tions aRural Health Advisory Council will be established. Its task is to developa system- atic and cohesive approach toward rural health issues and planning.

One typical problem that ex- ists in rural areas is getting health care professionals to locate there. HealthRight re- sponds to this by expanding on Minnesota's current loan forgiveness programs. Doc- tors, nurses and mid-level practitioners who agree to serve in rural areas will have portions of their student loans forgiven in return. HealthRight also proposes to increase graduation rates by 20% forpediatriciansand farn- ily practice doctors, by fund- ing the University of Minne- sota Medical School residency program.

Because rural areas typically have a high number of eld- erly, receive low Medicare

:- HealthRight: Massive p. I J

Cost Containment Pays For Affordable Care

by Representative Paul Anders Ogren I

forms that will immediately save 3 to 5 percent in admin- istrative costs. >Insurance companies will be limited to spending no more than 25 percent of the premi- ums we pay for administra- tion and profit. Over the next five years this limitation would be narrowed to 80 per- cent. >Medical malpractice re- forms would streamline the legal process and reduce the cost of liability insurance that

care while minimizing waste- ful practices. Providers will practice less "defensive medi- cine" in fear of malpractice suits and the public will be able to pick providers based on performance. >The Commissioner of Commerce's rate setting au- thority will addstrongenforce- ment to fair insurance rates and anti-discrimination law. >Medicaid reimbursements for primary and outpatient hos~ital care will be increased

The state of health care in ernment talks but does noth- Washington-thehugevested Q and some of the provid- providers cany. 25 percent, adding to our pro- Minnesota and America is in ing. Several states are trying interests are flexing. their ers, such as medical doctor >Comprehensive health care viders' revenue base and en- collapse. Just look at the dol- to take action, but- just as in muscle. The insurance indus- associations, don't want to budgeting on state and re- couraging providers to see - - .

lars we spend and what turn off the money gional levels will ensure that patients whose bills will be it means to all of us: machine. Thosewho we put our health care dollar mostly paid for with federal

benefit from rampant into the most efficacious and dollars. >The average Ameri- inflation and waste cost effective health care ser- >Providers who take patients can per employee health are fighting genuine vices. under state plans - such as plan cost rose 46.3 per- reform that would >Insurance reform would be- workers' combensation, cent between 1988 and benefit the rest of us. gin the process of ending dis- Health Right, MCHA and the 1990 and another 12 Their clout is awe- crimination by age,health his- State Employees Plan - will percent in 1991, four tory, occu~ation and home be requrred to take Medicaid times the rate of infla- town in the private hsurance and other public patients as

But in Minnesota a market. Discrimination based well. >56 percent of business remarkable thing has on gender is eliminated im- >Dependent students will be pre-tax profit now goes happened. Republi- mediately. able to stay covered under to health care. cans and Democrats >A number of weflness in- their less costly parent's poli- >8 out of every 10 came together and ' centives-such as not smok- cies until age 25. strikes are over health agreed to put vested ing, exercising and getting care. interestsasideandre- annualcheck-ups-will pro- The cost containment provi- >24 cents out of every ally get a grip on mote individual responsibil- sions get a grip on what's dollar spent in health costs, reform the sys- ity and reduce premiums for unnecessary. And that allows care is spent on admin- tem and- by saving those who practicegood health us to deal with what's so un- istration. money - find the habits. fortunate. Our hospitals, for >In America some 37 dollars to offer all >Small groups will be able to example, spend $1 20 million

Minnesotans access combine into larger groups to a year in Minnesota in care

-mentnow workink its' tice and pediatrics in clinics That brings us tohow we find' way through the pub- throughout the state. the money to pa; for Health

>Inflation in health care has soared between 13 The - such as loan forgiveness be offered to Minne- and 20 percent annu- agreementy< 'cost programs - will get more soam-ssthestate. ~ts- ally in recent years. containment inter- practitioners into cost effec- with a5 centcigarette tax and >Health care costs now ventions are imme- tive care where they are most a 2 percent revenue lax make up almost $1 out diate and intensive. needed in rural Minnesota. on hospitals. Other health of every $7 spent in our >Outcome-based research care providers will be phased entire economy. Since will tell us which procedures up to that 2 percent level by 1983 health care spend- >Strong conflict of work and which don't and 19%. ing has doubled. interest prohibitions allow us to peg future funding

that Stop providers to the most effective kinds of Justwhere does that2percent How will this picture from referring tests change by the year and procedures to 2000? Without dra- businesses in which Better Care matic change, eachand Medical, I ~ c . every statistic will only 'sm00 1971' "Your Home get worse. More people >An end to the high HsaIth Care Center"

will be forced to drop tech medical arms RENTALS SALES "SPECIALISTS IN REHAB 6 MEDICAL SUPPUES

coverage, the average race by limiting new UHWY -OSTOYV a SUR~CALSUPUES

per employee health equipment and capi- Wheelchairs Diabetic Equipment plan willcost $22,000 a tal purchases to what Hospital Beds Bathroom Safety A~ds

Commode Chairs Canes & Crutches year and insurance Walkers Blood Pressure Eqpt. companies will carve Patient Lifters Home Oxygen out more of the sick and ment that will pro- action Devices • Portable Oxygen

hibit doctors from Dm 933-1 1 26

billing senior citizens 1015 B(CEUIORAVE, HOPKINS Gmq11cos RFPAIR SERW(E Opcn 830 - 6:W Mm. - Fn.

As a nation and state we over the Medicare WE- MPLS - ST PAUL 6 ALL SUBURBS

will spend much more

coverage. ..meaning . health care outcomes-will only get worse. We'll have less money to spend on edu- cation, police, our environment, food on the table, shelter and the simple pleasures of life.

How has government re- sponded? The federal gov-

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