I. We oppose narrow physician networks by insurance companies.
We believe patients should have the choice to select the physician to care for themselves, their children and aging parents/family member.
One of the most pressing issues negatively impacting access to health care for Black and other minority communities in Minnesota is the exclusion of qualified doctors in good standing from physician panels by health insurance plans. Minnesota is among only a few states that allow health plans to deny full coverage for treatment provided to minority patients if their preferred doctor has been excluded from the plan’s panel even if the plan excluded the doctor without any explanation. Minority doctors are shown to achieve better outcomes for minority patients, yet their communities are disproportionately excluded from many health plans. To close Minnesota’s unfortunate nation-leading gap in health outcomes for People of Color, Minnesota must join the majority of states by requiring inclusion of all qualified doctors in good standing on health plan physician panels. (approved September 12, 2020)
II. We oppose the MinnesotaCare Tax as it is implemented, currently
We fully support eliminating healthcare disparities in Minnesota and across the United States. Health care coverage for Minnesota’s most vulnerable, including many people of color, improves and saves lives. While coverage for all Minnesotans regardless of situation and financial means is critical, taxing only physicians and hospitals to address this inequity is not an equitable or effective approach. A problem that affects the whole of Minnesota needs to be solved by the whole of Minnesotans. The MinnesotaCare tax must be replaced by a broad tax based program that attempts to erase healthcare disparities and access to care for Minnesota’s Black and other minority communities and any person in financial need. We full support any program that reduces healthcare disparities in Minnesota that includes all Minnesota citizens participating to solve a Minnesota citizen problem. (approved September 12, 2020)
III. Since we have agreed that racism is a health issue, we support public images that endorse cultural sensitivity and racial inclusion. (approved September 12, 2020)
IV. MAAAP supports public images that endorse cultural sensitivity and racial inclusion. (approved September 12, 2020)