Sen. John Marty introduced SF2324 to the legislature and it made a first appearance in committee on Feb. 18 when the Senate health, housing and family security committee heard the bill and took testimony.

SF2324 puts into practice concepts called the Minnesota Health Plan (www.mnhealthplan.org) and is the first single payer health care bill before the Minnesota legislature to finally get some serious consideration. Supporters, including Marty, crisscrossed the state on Feb. 8, talking about various problems in the current health system and how principles established by the Minnesota Health Plan should drive health care delivery in the future. 

Testimony came from a variety of people, both for and against the bill. The information presented included a physician describing how she spent a half hour on the phone with an insurance company to get a standard course of an antibiotic because the insurance company protocol called for filling only half the treatment. “I dream of the day when I can make decisions based upon my medical knowledge,” said Ann Settgast, M.D. Settgast noted a Minnesota Medical Association survey in which 64 percent of physicians indicated a preference for a single-payer system. 

Additional testimony came from Mary Cowen, a nursing assistant at Children’s Hospital where her insurance premium increased $250 per month. The increased expense has delayed her from seeking asthma medication, which in turn led to a trip to the emergency room. Said Cowen, I’m “not here to ask for your pity or beg for a handout. [I want] fair value for my money - every dollar spent to provide care - not pay insurance companies to figure out how to not pay for care. I see how the insurance system wastes time and money.”

Citizen Advocate Leah Erickson is a single mother with Lupus. She works full time and, because of kidney failure, spends 15 hours each week in dialysis. Her 14 year-old son now does all of the household chores. Said Erickson, “I want to be a productive member of society - not on disability.” Erickson’s medical costs start each year at a minimum of $8,000 and escalate from that point. 

After another story of a family losing their home and car even though they are insured, retired physician Morrison Hodges, who chaired the Hennepin County Medical Center Cardiology department before stepping down in 1995 talked about how he saw changes in patient behavior over his years of practice. People stopped talking about their health and more about how they were going to pay for their health care. The “free market does not work for health care,” said Hodges. “Competition within the health market leads to higher prices and restricted care.”

Testimony against the bill began in the afternoon and went into an evening session of the committee, and included statements from Julie Brunner (executive director of Minnesota Council of Health Plans), John Tyler (Citizens Council on Health Care) and Mary O’Connor (Brooklyn Center City Council member). 

Additionally, Nancy Breymeier (president of Metro Independent Business Alliance), addressed the committee in support of SF2324 during the evening session.

After amendments were made, the bill passed out of committee on a voice vote and moved on for further scrutiny at the committee on commerce and consumer protection as well as the committee on finance. 

A large group of Minnesota Senior Federation members attended the meeting including a group of seven members from Mankato. Some never got into the door of the hearing room, which was filled to maximum capacity with supporters of SF2324. 

Ralph Baumgartner of North Mankato commented to MnSF members at the end of the afternoon session, “You can’t fatten the herd by feeding the sire.”  Apparently, a growing number of legislators are beginning to understand this concept long shared by members of the Minnesota Senior Federation.