Thirty attentive individuals attended a Health Policy discussion on Tuesday June 16, 2009 at the I.B.E.W. Building in Rocheser, MN.  Sen John Marty and Mark Liebow, M.D. discussed the Minnesota Health Plan  and why we need to continue advocacy for the Minnesota Health Plan despite the national debate on health care reform.

Dr. Liebow is an internist at the Mayo Clinic and an expert in health care policy.  Senator John Marty is the Chief Author of the Minnesota Health Act (which would create the Minnesota Health Plan).Rep. Tina Liebling, (D- 30A) also spoke in support of the Minnesota Health Plan.

Attendees commented about: the cost of caring for the uninsured and the inability of the uninsured to have continuity of care; the use of the emergency department for medical care, such as to deal with emergency dental care;  explanation of the plan that the Mayo Clinic is advocating; end-of-life and living will concerns; the need for a single-payer system at the national level; concerns that at that national level insurance companies will use scare tactics/misrepresent what changes are being sought in health care. 

Individuals were urged to:

• get involved
• contact state and national elected representatives urging them to provide health care coverage for ALL people in the US
• educate themselves and others regarding the various options/groups working for change in health care.

This event got media attention. KAALTV interviewed Sen Marty prior to the event and stayed for part of the presentation The Post-Bulletin mentioned the event on June 15th.