League of Women Voters of Northfield

* Legislators Tour State, Unveil Health Care Solutions *
(Duluth • Hibbing • Bemidji • Brainerd • Mankato • Winona • Northfield)

YOU’RE INVITED TO A HEALTH CARE TOWN HALL MEETING
Saturday February 9th at 2:00 pm
Northfield Public Library
210 Washington St, Northfield MN 55057
FFI: Jane McWilliams • 507-645-8423 • jmcwilli@charter.net
Host: Rep. David Bly

Key Questions for Health Care Reformers
As we unveil key legislation that offers real solutions to our health care mess, we’ll address these important questions and get your reactions to our proposals.
What is the alternative to high deductibles and expensive premiums?
Will I ever see real health care reform in my lifetime?
How will we pay for universal heath care?
Do we have enough doctors and nurses to handle more insured people?
If we eliminate the middleman (HMOs) to reduce waste and make health care more affordable for all Minnesotans, what will happen to the people who work in that field? Won’t they lose their jobs?
I have good insurance already. Will it be taken away? Will I have to change doctors if these plans are implemented?
Will doctors in Minnesota still be able to make a good living?
Isn’t this just socialized medicine?
What are the core values that underly these proposals?

With co-signers of the Minnesota Health Care Act, Minnesota State Legislators Senator John Marty & Representatives Ken Tschumper, David Bly, Carolyn Laine & Shelley Madore. Local officials invited.
Minnesotans Have Spoken
We legislators spent last summer and fall talking to our constituents and Minnesotans from around the state about the problems they face as result of our broken health care system. For those who are lucky enough to have health care, we heard about putting off annual check-ups and other life-saving preventive care measures because of high premiums and deductibles that keep going up. We heard about battles with bureaucratic HMOs that approve and disapprove referrals, critical medical procedures, and payments to physicians. We heard about how changing jobs can force a person to trade in trsuted family doctors because they’re “out-of-network.” For those who did not have health insurance, the stories get even worse. To put it bluntly, people have died because of our health care mess. We think it’s wrong. Who thinks it’s okay?
Legislators Must Act
Now, with proven solutions to our health care mess in hand, we are gathering folks in town hall meetings across the state to demonstrate that there are answers to these problems. We’ll tell you about the Minnesota Health Care Act that would provide quality, affordable, portable health care to all Minnesotas through all the stages of life. We’ll also unveil other bills that get us closer to universal health care coverage.

SOLVING OUR HEALTH CARE CRISIS: COVERING EVERY MINNESOTAN
FOR LESS MONEY, LESS WASTE, MORE VALUE & BETTER HEALTH
*For general questions or additional meeting locations call Rep. David Bly 651-296-7065 or see www.mnhealthplan.org

(Note: “LWVMN is also working with the Health Care Reform Project, a national coalition to promote health care reform at the federal level. ” - from the LWVMN Positions on Social Policy )