Hello list, The city, state and school budget crises may seem unrelated to the current controversy over privacy and the state Health Department�s collection of health care data, but they really aren�t. I think the City Council and other local government entities should weigh in on this issue by asking that the state be allowed to gather that health care information, with stringent requirements for the maintenance of confidentiality.
Health care costs are rising 20 percent this year for city government, according to that marvelous budget seminar last month. Last year, the city spent $35 million on health care premiums out of a $260 million general fund. I don�t know what the figures are for the schools and other public entities, but I�m sure they�re big, and growing out of all proportion to other spending and to inflation. The Republicans repeat ad nauseum how spending keeps ballooning in government and how government isn�t accountable � well, a big ballooning spending item in government is health care, and in that industry, there is no accountability at all. I object to that, and I suggest that the City Council, School Board, Library Board and Park Board speak up about it. If this health care evaluation project is allowed to go forward, it will uncover quite a few uncomfortable facts, probably including early deaths among uninsured diabetics and unconscionable increases in spending on pharmaceuticals. (Note in today�s Strib, front page of the business section: pharmaceutical companies� spending on marketing for prescription drugs. Those costs are paid by our tax dollars through health care premiums.) It is interesting to me that Republicans question issues of privacy only when the purpose is greater accountability in industry. I am as concerned about privacy as William Safire is � perhaps more so. I think health care providers could be required to submit the information to the government using consistent identifiers rather than names. Or, if the government gathers the information, there should be civil and/or criminal penalties for employees that violate patients� confidentiality. No other branch of government should be allowed access to the information without a court order. So, list, do you all think our local government entities should make statements on this, or not? Heather Martens Kingfield _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
