Bad health care policy

To the editor,
Legislative leaders are getting creative as they work to address the state’s budget deficit in the final days of session. One idea that may be creative — but is bad policy — is to take the premiums paid to Minnesota health plans and use them to provide health care coverage for people on General Assistance Medical Care. Although well intentioned, this is not the state’s money to take.
While sympathetic to helping people achieve coverage, this should not be done using health insurance premium dollars paid mainly by small and medium-size businesses and individuals. The state should not take those dollars to use as it pleases.
On top of the health care taxes and insurance mandates, this is just one more poke in the eye to small businesses and individuals purchasing health insurance. Lawmakers should be focusing on policies that will make health insurance more affordable in the private market versus shifting more costs to businesses and individuals already struggling with the high cost of health insurance.
Dan Schmidt
St. Paul, MN

Schmidt, a small-business owner, is chair of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s Health Care Policy Committee