Minnesota House Image Map Navigation Banner Minnesota Senate Link Minnesota House of Representatives Link Joint Departments and Commissions Laws, Statutes, and Rules Legislation and Bill Status Links to the World Help Page Link Search Page Minnesota Legislature Home Page

State Representative
Carl Jacobson

429 State Office Building, 100 Constitution Ave., St. Paul, MN 55155 (651) 296- 7153

For Immediate ReleaseFor more information contact:
January 10, 2001Jessie Roos (651-296-9719)
NEWS RELEASE
REP. JACOBSON HEARS HEALTHCARE COST CONCERNS

(ST. PAUL) -- Rep. Carl Jacobson (R-Vadnais Heights) and other members of the Health and Human Services Committee held hearings this week on two of the most pressing health issues facing the 2001-02 legislature: rising healthcare costs and patient protection.

"Most people will agree that Minnesota has the best medical care in the world," said Rep. Jacobson. "But that is little comfort to families who can't afford Minnesota's high quality care because of constantly rising healthcare costs."

John Gross, an expert on health insurance with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, testified before the committee on the state's resources for protecting healthcare consumers who have health insurance policies. He provided a list of phone numbers that citizens can call with questions about their healthcare coverage:

þ To resolve a conflict with a Minnesota-regulated health insurance company, contact the Minnesota Department of Commerce at (651) 296-2488 þ To resolve a problem with a Minnesota-regulated HMO (ie: Health Partners, Medica or UCare), contact the Minnesota Department of Health at (651) 282-5600 þ To settle a conflict with your company's internal (self-insured) health insurance plan, contact the US Department of Labor at (816) 426-5131 þ To discuss your rights regarding state healthcare assistance (MA, GAMC, or MinnesotaCare), contact the Department of Human Services at (651) 296-5764 þ For information on Medical Assistance, contact county social services or (651) 296-8517 þ For information on health insurance for low-income families (MNCare), (651) 297-3862 þ For information on state programs available to seniors, call the Senior LinkAge line at 1- 800-333-2433

"Fighting bureaucracies has become an unwelcome part of accessing healthcare. There's no doubt that good information is the best way to win those battles," said Rep. Jacobson. "While the legislature and the health care providers work on finding a solution to rising health care costs, I hope these resources will help provide some help to those who need more immediate relief under current conditions. I am very pleased that the legislature is giving patient protection high visibility this session. We are off to a good start."

###