A FEW MOMENTS AGO YOU HEARD
FROM CONGRESSMAN ERICKSON
PAULSON ON HIS THOUGHTS OF THE
GOP PLAN.
THE ADMINISTRATION'S WARNING OF
DIRE CONSEQUENCES IF THE
REPUBLICAN PLAN BECOMES LAW.
THE STATE ESTIMATES 1.2M THE
STONES WILL LOSE OR HAVE HEALTH
CARE COVERAGE REDUCED AND THE
STATE COULD ALSO LOSE $80
MILLION AND BLOCK GRANTS OVER
FIVE YEARS OF PROGRAMS LIKE
CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION AND
OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES.
JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THESE
CONCERNS IS DR. EDWARD
EHLINGER.
GOOD MORNING.
YOU WANTED TO STRESS YOU ARE
NOT A POLITICIAN, BUT YOU ARE
THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH IN A
DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION HEAD
THAT IS CORRECT.
AS THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH I
NOTICED THAT OUR CONVERSATION
IS ALL ABOUT THE INSURANCE
PIECE LIKE MEDICARE, MEDICAID,
THERE IS ANOTHER WHOLE PIECE
THAT RELATES TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND LOT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
DOLLARS ARE EMBEDDED IN THAT.
IF WE DO AWAY WITH THE ACA ALL
OF THAT MONEY GOES AWAY.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT
IMPACT COMMUNICATION,
INFECTIOUS DISEASES, DEALING
WITH A BOWLER, LEAD POISONING,
THE THINGS THAT REALLY KEEP
PEOPLE HEALTHY.
THAT IS WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO
FOCUS ON.
YOU ARE SAYING YOU ESTIMATE
UNDER THE GOP PLAN YOU --
MINNESOTA WILL LOSE $80 MILLION
OVER FIVE YEARS?
THAT IS CORRECT.
MOST OF THE PUBLIC DOLLARS HAVE
BEEN IN THAT IT IN ACA. WE ARE
ARGUING THAT THOSE DOLLARS
REALLY NEED TO COME BACK IN
SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.
THEY MAY NOT BE A PART OF THE
REPUBLICAN PLAN, BUT THEY NEED
TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE.
OTHERWISE, WE ARE GOING TO
ELIMINATE THE THINGS THAT KEPT
US SAFE FOR THE LAST 30-40
YEARS.
REPUBLICAN SAY THEIR PLAN
WILL CUT $330 BILLION FROM THE
FEDERAL BUDGET IN 10 YEARS.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE LOOKING
AT THE CUTS.
IN THE STATE MAKE UP FOR IT?
THIS IS THE FUNNY MATH, THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL REDUCE
SOME OF THEIR COST, BUT THEY
WILL BE SHIPPING THOSE TO THE
STATE AND THEY WILL SHIP THEM
TO PARTICULARLY SENIORS AND LOW
INCOME FOLKS.
THAT IS GOING TO BE -- IT WILL
NOT REDUCE OVERALL COST, IT IS
REALLY GOING TO COST THE STATE
AND INDIVIDUALS AND LOT MORE.
TRADITIONALLY, PUBLIC HEALTH
HAS BEEN THE PARTNERSHIP
BETWEEN THE FENCE, STATE, AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
ALL OF THOSE PIECES HAVE TO BE
THERE.
IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY SINCE 1921
AND WAS REINFORCED IN 1935 AND
AGAIN IN 1964, AND AGAIN WITH
REAGAN IN 1981.
THE FEDERAL AND STATE PEACE IS
IMPORTANT AS WELL AS THE LOCAL
PEACE.
THE A ACA ELIMINATES ONE PART
OF THAT.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT IS
HAPPENING WITH TRINITY HEALTH
CENTERS ACROSS THE STATE OF
LESOTHO, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH REPUBLICANS BECAUSE IT
WILL HAPPEN ANYWAY, $22 MILLION
WORTH OF GRANTS WILL BE LAWS ON
OCTOBER 1 17 COMMUNITY HEALTH
CENTERS ACROSS THE STATE, MANY
OF THEM IN RURAL AREAS, THE
ONLY HEALTHCARE CENTER PEOPLE
HAVE.
HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU ABOUT
THAT?
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT ACCESS
TO CARE.
WE KNOW TO BE ABLE TO GET CARE
IS IMPORTANT. THE COMMUNITY
HEALTH CENTERS ALONG WITH
PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLINICS,
WHICH ARE IN SOME OF THE AREAS
OF THE STATE WHERE THEY ARE NO
OTHER HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ARE
ALL THREATENED.
IF THOSE GO AWAY IT IS GOING TO
SHOW THE IMPACT IN HEALTH BOTH
SHORT AND LONG-TERM.
HOW ARE YOU PLANNING FOR
THIS?
THERE IS SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY
AND MOVING PARTS.
WE ARE WORKING AT THE
NATIONAL LEVEL WITH THE
ASSOCIATION OF HEALTH
COMMISSIONERS ARGUING AND
MAKING THE POINT OF CONGRESS
THAT PEOPLE REALLY HAVE TO PAY
ATTENTION TO OVERALL HEALTH AND
THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM.
WE ARE MAKING THOSE EFFORTS TO
EDUCATE.
MOST PEOPLE DO NOT RECOGNIZE
THE PUBLIC HEALTH APPLICATION
-- IMPLICATION.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THE STATE
LEVEL, THE GOVERNOR SAYS LET'S
HOLD DOLLARS BACK TO FIND OUT
WHAT HAPPENS AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL.
IF WE HAVE MAJOR CUTS THE STATE
WILL HAVE TO STEP UP.
WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR
REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE
IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE AND
MINNESOTA TO DO THAT TYPE OF
PLANNING.
THE POSITIVE THING IS THIS IS
NOT DONE YET.
I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF
CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE
PRESIDENT'S BUDGET AND THE
AACA.
I AM HOPING COOLER HEADS WILL
PREVAIL AND CHOOSE THE THINGS