Adopted 1985, 1987, Revised 1997

LWVMI supports:

Equal access for all to quality health care at a reasonable cost. Cost effective methods of health care delivery which do not sacrifice adequate care for the individual. Fees for health care professionals that reflect a combination of government, market place and provider considerations.

I. Facilities
A. Certificates of Need and discretionary bed use programs are recognized as important methods of encouraging efficient operations. The Certificate of Need process should continue and include: 1. Periodic review of the dollar threshold; 2. Streamlining the process and strengthening it through stricter enforcement; and 3. Limiting the process to new or additional medical treatment facilities and equipment.
B. To assure that the most cost efficient and least restrictive health care systems are utilized, a full range of health care options should be available including: hospitals, nursing homes, home care, minor emergency centers, ambulatory care, out-patient surgery, adult day care, hospice programs, etc.

II. Health Personnel
A. Use of alternate providers such as advanced nurse practitioners and therapists should be encouraged when appropriate.
B. Providers of services share the responsibility for controlling health care costs. The risk/benefit relationship should be considered when prescribing testing or treatment, with the patient involved in making decisions.

III. Consumers
A. Consumers have the responsibility to eliminate unnecessary use of services.
B. Consumers should assume responsibility for healthful living practices both as a means to protect their own quality of life and to limit health care costs.

IV. Professional Liability
Health care professionals have an obligation to provide competent care and consumers have an obligation to act responsibly in considering malpractice or professional liability suits.

V. Third party Reimbursement
A. A variety of funding options should be made available so that individuals may be served with the one best suited to their needs. Prepaid plans such as health maintenance organizations ("HMOs") and contractual arrangements such as preferred provider org anizations ("PPOs") should be included as alternatives to other funding plans.
B. In order to avoid the need for acute care, reimbursement should be available for health promotion and health maintenance services.
C. Direct reimbursement should be mad available for qualified alternative facilities and personnel.

VI. Access
A. To eliminate financial barriers which may prevent participation in any health care funding mechanism: 1. Public funding should be available for those unable to afford the cost of health care or of participation in a funding mechanism. 2. Employers should make participation in a funding mechanism available to their employees and should share the cost of health care with their employees.
B. Adequate medical care facilities and services should be provided in geographical areas defined as underserved.