Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition

Over 200 enthusiastic people attended Congressman Ellison's Health Care Forum on Wednesday July 1st to voice opinions and ask questions about the hotly debated federal health care reforms.  Congressman Ellison opened with impassioned support for single-payer, but with the admonition that we can't "let perfect be the enemy of the good". He cautioned that single-payer was not going to be enacted but that a "robust public plan" could be a stepping stone. He encouraged the health reform movement to be unified because, he warned, the opposition is unified and they will win if we are fractured. Panelists included Julie Schnell, President SEIU Health Care MN; Eliot Seide, Executive Director AFSCME Council 5; Elizabeth Frost MD, Co-Chiar PNHP-MN and Steering Committee MUHCC; John Kolstad, Metropolitan Independent Business Alliance; Val Overton Nurse Practitioner; Michael Harristhal, Vice President, Public Policy and Strategy at HCHC. An entire hour was devoted to comments and questions from the audience.  There was overwhelming support for single-payer and a public option. Both Elizabeth Frost and John Kolstad spoke about the Minnesota Health Plan and the need for federal reforms to allow for state single-payer plans. Many attendees stopped the MUHCC table to sign up and get materials on the MN Health Plan.