COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelly McGivern, President & CEO, Ohio Association of Health Plans, today released this statement in response to Single-Payer Action Network Ohio’s (SPAN’s) initiated proposed statute:
“SPAN is proposing a taxpayer-funded, government-run health care system in Ohio. On the surface, this may seem like a good solution to the state’s health-care issues. However, once you understand how the plan really works, it’s obvious that it is the wrong prescription.”
“SPAN’s plan does nothing to address the rising cost of health care - it simply shifts the cost burden to Ohio tax payers. SPAN’s “free” health care system actually will cost Ohioans an estimated $48 billion a year - at a time when our citizens are already overtaxed.”
“In addition, this outrageously expensive plan does nothing to guarantee better access or higher quality of health care for Ohioans. Other states have considered this type of legislation and promptly rejected it. For instance, when Oregon considered a similar plan in 2002, Oregonians recognized that being “guinea pigs” for an unproven and potentially fiscally dangerous health care system was not the answer. Now SPAN wants Ohioans to be the guinea pigs.”
“Rather than adding new taxes and creating a bigger bureaucracy, we should all work together to try to eliminate costly measures that unnecessarily contribute to the high cost of care. According to recent research, Ohio voters feel the most effective ways to make health care more affordable are access to screenings and preventative care (52%), reduction of frivolous lawsuits (46%) and the elimination of government regulation and red tape that add costs without improving quality (37%). We could not agree more.”
“The Ohio Association of Health Plans supports ensuring access to affordable, high-quality health care for all Ohioans. If enacted, SPAN’s proposed plan will accomplish just the opposite.”
OAHP is a statewide trade association of companies providing health care benefits to over 6 million Ohioans. The mission of the OAHP is to promote and advocate quality health care and access to a variety of affordable health care benefits for all consumers in Ohio.
Ohio Association of Health Plans
CONTACT: Kelly McGivern, President & CEO of Ohio Association of HealthPlans, +1-614-228-4662
