Bradley Briefing - 7/21/2004
Representative Fran Bradley - 29B

Friends,

The following letter was sent by the Minnesota Hospital Association on their own initiative. I am honored that such a highly respected group would acknowledge my efforts. It is another indication of the many successes of this past legislative session and the role that I (and our Rochester House team) have played in leading positive legislative outcomes.

The issue was based on legislation sponsored by the Minnesota Hospital Association that would have placed significant regulations on surgical and imaging centers. In some areas of the state, hospitals were worried about erosion of their revenues and the apparent unfair regulatory burdens placed on hospitals but not on these separate health care entities. But the original proposal went too far and would have imposed burdensome regulations that might have put surgical and imaging centers out of business. In fact, the original proposal would have re-imposed a form of "certificate of need" that would have been costly and wasteful to much of the health care industry. The bill left our Health & Human Services Policy committee with a virtual war between hospitals (MHA) and the physician community (MMA). With the bill coming to my HHS Finance Committee, I took on the task of mediating a solution that could be acceptable to both parties. The end result was the success touted in the MHA letter. The final bill passed both the House and Senate with overwhelming support. I felt proud of the end result and my personal success in negotiating a win-win compromise.

Unfortunately, the Post Bulletin refused to publish the letter. Frankly, the Post Bulletin's policies on letters to the editor and speaking out columns are confusing and often contradicting. I hope you will help us spread the truth.

From: Bruce Rueben
Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 4:31 PM
To: 'letters@postbulletin.com'
Subject: Letter to the Editor

To the Editor
Rochester-Post Bulletin
Rochester, Minnesota

As the 2004 Session of the Minnesota Legislature drew to a close, most of the attention was drawn to what didn't get accomplished. That's understandable but unfortunate, especially for Minnesotans concerned about access, cost and quality in health care. It's also unfortunate for folks in the Rochester area because it obscures the real leadership our state received from one of your own. Rep. Fran Bradley developed a wide-ranging health care reform initiative, and then he provided outstanding guidance, leadership and negotiating skills to get substantial health care policy successfully through a difficult legislative process.
Thanks in large part to Rep. Bradley, legislation was enacted that will help empower Minnesotans seeking health care information to make informed decisions and that will also cut burdensome regulations that do nothing to improve patient care.
In addition to these larger health care issues, three additional health care bills were enacted this session. These bills updated state regulation of outpatient surgical centers and diagnostic imaging facilities, clarified Minnesota's adverse health event reporting law, and modernized Minnesota's hospital moratorium law, a law that had not been amended in over two decades. In every case, Rep. Bradley was in the thick of things, working to bring divergent interests together to address common problems. In addition to these policy issues, as chair of the Health and Human Services Finance Committee, Rep. Bradley was instrumental in avoiding the cuts proposed by
Gov. Pawlenty that would have hurt health care access and delivery.
Like many in Rochester, the hospital community was disappointed that the Legislature did not complete action on a bonding bill. Passage of a bonding bill would have done much to address the growing shortage of health care workers as well as help Mayo and the University of Minnesota advance their historic partnership on genomics research. Despite this omission, we should not lose sight of the many health care policy accomplishments of the 2004 Legislature. Rep. Bradley demonstrated that leadership can overcome many obstacles. The health care bills he helped to enact will benefit consumers, employers and providers.

Sincerely,
Bruce J. Rueben, President
Minnesota Hospital Association
St. Paul, Minnesota
(651) 641-1121
*************************************************************

Thanks for your interest in good government. I renew my offer to visit your service club, church group, neighborhood, or any group. Call me at 288-3439. Also, please do check out my web site, "www.franbradley.org".
Hope you are having a great summer.

Regards,

Fran

Representative Fran Bradley
4316 Manor View Dr NW
Rochester, MN 55901
507-288-3439
"franbradley1@charter.net"
www.franbradley.org

 

 

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