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'Better Health Care Together' campaign sparks hope for reform
Allina and SEIU Local 113 call for affordable health care for Minnesotans
MINNEAPOLIS 02/07/2007--Allina Hospitals & Clinics and Local 113 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) today said that the national 'Better Health Care Together' campaign sparks hope for achieving quality, affordable health care for all Minnesotans and for all Americans.
"It is a bold move on the part of business and labor leaders to collaborate to find innovative solutions to a very complex health care problem facing America," said Dick Pettingill, president and CEO, Allina Hospitals & Clinics. "More people are living without health insurance or under the burden of medical debt, while business and government are collapsing under the weight of rising health care costs. We must come together and build a unified, broad-based coalition to develop and advocate for solutions."
The campaign is comprised of an unusual partnership of organizations including Wal-Mart and SEIU, the nation's largest health care union. Leaders today put forth four principles for achieving a new American health care system by 2012:
- Every person in America must have quality, affordable health insurance coverage.
- Individuals have a responsibility to maintain and protect their health.
- America must dramatically improve the value it receives for every health care dollar.
- Businesses, governments, and individuals all should contribute to managing and financing a new American health care system.
The coalition pledged to recruit 50 additional partners, one of which will be Allina Hospitals & Clinics. "We are proud to join this historic effort," said Pettingill.
Allina and SEIU Local 113 called for state health care reform that provides affordable access to health care for everyone and encourages healthy living. Nearly 400,000 Minnesotans are living without health insurance. Last month, the Department of Health announced Minnesota hospitals provided more than $191 million of uncompensated care in 2005, a 26 percent increase over the previous year.
"The rising cost of health care is making it harder and harder for all Minnesotans to make ends meet. No one should have to choose between paying the bills and taking their kids to the doctor," said Julie Schnell, president of SEIU Local 113. "We must find a way to work together and this campaign is a great step in ensuring quality, affordable health care for all Minnesotans, and for all Americans."
The members of the campaign include AT&T, Howard H. Baker, Jr. Center for Public Policy, Center for American Progress, Committee for Economic Development, Communications Workers of America, Intel, Kelly Services, SEIU and Wal-Mart. For more information on the campaign, visit www.seiu.org.
About Allina Hospitals & Clinics
Allina Hospitals & Clinics is a not-for-profit system of hospitals, clinics and other health care services, providing care throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Allina owns and operates 11 hospitals, 65 clinics, hospice services, oxygen and equipment, pharmacies, and emergency medical transportation services. Allina Hospitals & Clinics and the latest health information can be found online at www.allina.com.
About Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
SEIU unites nearly 1 million health care workers nationwide.
SEIU Local 113 includes more than 14,000 hospital, clinic and nursing home workers across Minnesota, including 6,000 Twin Cities hospital workers.
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