Current Health Freedom Issues at the Minnesota Capitol : Workman's Compensation

Minnesota Natural Health Legal Reform Project is your representative at the Minnesota Capitol, working to ensure your access to the healing modalities of your choice.

A bill for worker’s compensation has been introduced which contains a provision which would prevent MN worker’s compensation for paying from therapies received from unlicensed complimentary and alternative health care providers practicing
under MN Stat 146A.

This bill, SF3218, passed the Business, Industry and Jobs Committee yesterday, and is scheduled to be heard in the Committee on State and Local Government Operations and Oversight, Wednesday, March 5, 2008 3 p.m. Room 123 Capitol, Chair, Sen. Ann Rest.

In the house, the companion bill, HF3566 was referred by chair Atkins of Commerce and Labor to Labor and Consumer Protection Division (no meeting scheduled at this time).

Please call and/or email all Senate committee members that will hear this bill on Wednesay, and ask them to remove the provision: “11.27 Subd. 1b. Complementary and alternative health care providers. Any service, article, or supply provided by an unlicensed complementary and alternative health care practitioner as defined in section 146A.01, subdivision 6, is not compensable under this chapter.”

Here are some talking points you might want to use:

1) You depend on access to these practitioners because you have found them to be safe and effective.

2) Studies show that the majority of Minnesotans are using some form of holistic health care, even though much of it is paid for out of pocket. People would not be voting with their pocketbooks like this if they didn’t find these holistic therapies effective and economical.

3) CAM is effective and often less expensive than conventional medicine. Patients recover more quickly by including CAM, shortening the duration of claims. Minnesota could save more money on health care costs by encouraging people to access these therapies, thus often avoiding surgery and other costly interventions.

4) Minnesota should do a study on the cost-effectiveness of complementary/alternative modalities, thus demonstrating the value they provide for citizens and for reducing costs of health care. Few studies are done on this by research institutions, as there is little profit for big pharma or medical device companies when people get well using natural therapies that can not be patented.

5) Practitioners practicing under Stat 146A practice under the auspices of the MN Department of Health.

6) Many physicians recognize the value of these therapies and refer their patients to CAM practitioners practicing under 146A

Please call and email the senators below, as well as the author, Sen. Tom Bakk, and coauthors of the bill:

Legislative Committee Members
Minnesota Natural Health Legal Reform Project
A 501[c]4 non-profit political action organization

State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee
2007-2008 Biennium Eighty-Fifth Legislature

Meets: Monday and Wednesday 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Room 123 of the Capitol.

Chair: Ann H. Rest
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 205
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
651.296.1113

Vice Chair Tony Lourey 08
sen.tony.lourey@senate.mn
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room 205
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
651.296.0293

Ranking Minority Chris Gerlach (R) 37
sen.chris.gerlach@senate.mn
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
State Office Building, Room 129
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
651.296.4120

Don Betzold (D) 51
sen.don.betzold@senate.mn
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room 111
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
651.296.2556

Dick Day (R) 26
sen.dick.day@senate.mn
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
State Office Building, Room 113
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
651.296.9457

Joe Gimse (R) 13
sen.joe.gimse@senate.mn
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
State Office Building, Room 105
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
651.296.3826

Dan Larson (D) 63
sen.dan.larson@senate.mn
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room 303
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
651.297.8061

John Marty (D) 54
sen.john.marty@senate.mn
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room 328
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
651.296.5645

Sandra L. Pappas (D) 65
sen.sandra.pappas@senate.mn
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room 120
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
651.296.1802

Claire A. Robling (R) 35
sen.claire.robling@senate.mn
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
State Office Building, Room 143
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
651.296.4123

Jim Vickerman (D) 22
sen.jim.vickerman@senate.mn
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room 226
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
651.296.5650

Author: Thomas M. Bakk (DFL) District 06
sen.tom.bakk@senate.mn
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room 226
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
651.296.8881

co-author: Geoff Michel (R) District 41
sen.geoff.michel@senate.mn
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
State Office Building, Room 133
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
651.296.6238

co-author: James P. Metzen (DFL) District 39
sen.jim.metzen@senate.mn
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room 322
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
651.296.4370

co-author: David J. Tomassoni (DFL) District 05
sen.david.tomassoni@senate.mn
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room 317
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
651.296.8017

co-author: Dan Sparks (DFL) District 27
sen.daniel.sparks@senate.mn
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Capitol Building, Room 317
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
651.296.9248

MN Natural Health Legal Reform Project
mnhlrp@charter.net
www.mnhlrp.org
651-322-4542

The Minnesota Natural Health Legal Reform Project is a 501[c]4 non-profit political action organization.
MNHLRP; PO Box 315; Rosemount, MN 55068; Email mnhlrp@charter.net; (651) 322 - 4542