Sen. Hoeven Meets With Hospitals, Long-Term Care, AARP Leaders on Health Reform

BISMARCK, N.D., July 6 -- The office of Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., issued the following news release:

Senator John Hoeven today met with leaders from Sanford Health and CHI St. Alexius, before meeting with long-term care providers and AARP North Dakota. The health care reform meetings included: Cindy Morrison, Chief Marketing Officer, Sanford Health; Tim Rave, Vice President of Public Policy, Sanford Health; Kurt Schley, CEO of CHI St. Alexius Health; Keith Heuser, Administrator of CHI Mercy Health Valley City; Reed Reyman, President of CHI St. Alexius Health Dickinson; Shelly Peterson, President of the North Dakota Long Term Care Association; Wade Peterson, Executive Director of Prospera; Kirk Greff, Administrator of St. Vincent's; Augie Pepple, Administrator of Baptist Health Care Center; Tony Elsperger, Administrator of Sunset Drive; Bruce Kallis, Administrator of Augusta Place; Josh Askvig, State Director of AARP North Dakota and others.

"Families in North Dakota and across the country have seen increased premiums and deductibles, as well as limited health care options as a result of Obamacare," said Hoeven. "Addressing the problems with Obamacare and reforming our health care system will be a process, not one bill. I do not support the Senate health care bill in its current form and am especially concerned by the CBO's analysis of the bill's impact on Medicaid. We are meeting with health care leaders from around the state to gather input and continue working on health care reform that provides greater access to health care and more affordable health insurance."

Hoeven outlined priorities for health care reform, including:

Stabilize the health insurance market to make it more competitive so consumers have access to better and more affordable health insurance plans.

Provide a health care system that enables greater access to health coverage for low-income individuals either through Medicaid or tax credits based on age and income that will make health insurance more affordable.

Today's health care meetings continue the senator's work to provide North Dakotans with better health care and health insurance options. Yesterday, Hoeven was in Grand Forks to visit the new University of North Dakota (UND) Medical School and hold health care meetings with leaders from Altru Medical Center, the Center for Rural Health, Northwood Deaconess Health Center and Grafton's Unity Medical Center. Earlier, Hoeven held a roundtable on health care at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo that included leaders with different perspectives on the health care debate. The senator has been meeting with health care providers, patients, North Dakota business owners, health insurers and individuals to gather input on health care reform.