December 13, 2004 - A high profile, national attorney and two Minnesota hospitals were in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis today to argue how much charity care a non-profit hospital should provide. Plaintiffs across the country have been filing lawsuits against non-profit hospitals for failing to provide an adequate level of charity care to the uninsured and the poor. Allina Hospitals and Clinics and Fairview Health Services say they provide enough care and are asking a judge to dismiss the lawsuit. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
December 8, 2004 -
November 29, 2004 - When it comes to health care, Governor Pawlenty thinks there's strength in numbers. So much so that he's formed an informal alliance of state government, large employers and labor groups. Pawlenty hopes the large group can initiate changes in the health care marketplace that will lower costs and improve quality. He also plans on eliminating some required paperwork for providers and wants improvements to medical technology. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
October 8, 2004 -
June 21, 2004 - MPR’s Tom Scheck reports that the first group of Hmong from a refugee camp in Thailand are scheduled to arrive in Minnesota. They are among a group of 15,000 Hmong refugees expected to arrive in the U.S. by the end of 2004. A third of them are expected to settle in St. Paul.
May 18, 2004 -
May 13, 2004 - Governor Tim Pawlenty says he's taking the next step on the issue of drug reimportation. A plan Pawlenty announced today (Thurs) would allow Minnesota's 120 thousand state employees to get certain drugs at no cost to them if they buy from a Canadian internet pharmacy. He says the employees and the state will save a significant amount of money on drug costs. Minnesota is the first state in the nation to take such action. But critics say the action is illegal and will have a short shelf life. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports....
April 23, 2004 -
April 22, 2004 - MPR’s Tom Scheck reports Governor Tim Pawlenty was unsuccessful in his efforts to persuade the shareholders of Pfizer, the world's largest drug company, to charge Americans less for prescriptions. In report, Pawlenty speaks on re-importation of drugs.
April 22, 2004 - Governor Pawlenty heads to St. Louis today in the hopes of using the state's shareholder power to force the world's largest drug company to lower prescription drug prices for Americans. The governor intends to speak in support of a shareholder proposal that would limit how much Pfizer can charge for its drugs. Minnesota owns less than one percent of Pfizer's total value but Pawlenty hopes his visit will get the ball rolling on a shareholder initiative to lower prescription drug prices. Pawlenty is optimistic that others will join his cause. But critics say any proposal to change pricing is unlikely to pass because it would harm Pfizer's stock price. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.... {Governor Pawlenty's main goal is to recruit enough shareholders to force Pfizer officials to cut drug prices in the U.S. and allow drug reimportation from foreign countries where price controls and other market factors force drug companies to charge less. Pawlenty says he's been trying to persuade large pension fund managers from states like New York and California to join his cause. In any case, it won't happen this year. His proposal isn't on the agenda because the state missed the company's deadline. But it probably won't hurt and could help to wait a year because passing a shareholder resolution is a tough challenge. Pfizer shareholders have not approved any proposals in recent memory. Nevertheless, Pawlenty will argue free trade is allowed on everything from toasters to automobiles and it's only fair that the practice be extended to prescription drugs.