The Minnesota Hospital Association, Minnesota Council of Health Plans and Minnesota Medical Association issued the statement below to the media Tuesday in response to news that Gov. Tim Pawlenty had decided not to apply for money that would help Minnesota plan how to best implement health care changes.

Several news organizations quoted from the message below:

Health Care Leaders Issue Statement on
Gov. Pawlenty's Executive Order

The following statement is from Julie Brunner, executive director of the Minnesota Council of Health Plans; Lawrence Massa, president of the Minnesota Hospital Association; and Robert Meiches, M.D., CEO of the Minnesota Medical Association

We are extremely disappointed Gov. Pawlenty decided not to apply for money that will help Minnesota plan how to best implement health care changes. In the past, the Governor signed comprehensive health reform legislation in Minnesota with many of the same objectives as this federal legislation. We supported these objectives for the state and we support them federally. Gov. Pawlenty's decision leaves Minnesota at an enormous disadvantage. While the federal law outlines topics, each state has broad discretion in how to implement the work. The topics for state action include:

 

• developing health improvement and prevention programs aimed at slowing the rising cost of health care by reducing use of tobacco, reducing obesity rates, and averting the onset of chronic disease;
• improving care delivered to patients by working to better coordinate and integrate care during and after hospitalizations; and
• planning for the future, which could include creating a new way to pay Medicaid claims and studying new ways in which Minnesotans can easily compare and purchase health.

There seemed to be agreement that this work was important this past year when the Legislature passed and Gov. Pawlenty signed legislation requiring the state to apply for these dollars to begin evaluating what works under federal health reform. Gov. Pawlenty has even said that Minnesotans historically send far more money to Washington than they get back. So when there's a chance to get a little back, take it, he said.

The governor's decision just doesn't make sense for Minnesotans.