AMCNO Participates in Gov. Strickland Health Conference, Other Legislative Meetings |
|
| AMCNO Executive Vice President and CEO Elayne Biddlestone
joined Gov. Ted Strickland along with executives from hospitals, insurance
companies and other health advocacy groups for a meeting on health care
issues facing Ohio last week. Of chief concern is the issue of reducing the
rising costs of care for both the private sector employers and those
enrolled in state or federal-funded insurance plans. Also, Ohio’s uninsured
population has reached 1.2 million, a figure the new Governor aims to
reduce. One element to keeping proposed program’s price tags down would be
that doctors and hospitals keep their charges for participants near current
Medicaid levels, which would cost money for some patients but allow others
to carry insurance who now don’t. Strickland says he wants the state to take
better advantage of federal health care money, making more citizens
eligible. And, he does not oppose mandates on certain large business, such
as Wal-Mart, to provide more extensive insurance to employees, while
supporting a sliding-scale proposal for small businesses and the
self-employed to afford coverage for their workforce. The Governor travels
to Washington D.C. next week to meet with HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and ask
for permission for Ohio to use Medicaid money for premium assistance. On Monday, AMCNO leadership met with Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann to discuss his agenda for the state and a future working relationship with the Academy of Medicine of Cleveland & Northern Ohio. Mr. Dann indicated he would be eager to meet further and discuss concerns of Northern Ohio physicians through the AMCNO leadership. And on Feb. 15, the AMCNO Legislative Committee will welcome Sen. Kevin Coughlin, expected to discuss several key health care related items in the current General Assembly’s schedule |
|
|
|
|