Health Care Solutions

Ben Franklin was right when he said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, particularly with regard to health care.

As taxpayers, we pay the bills for people who cannot afford medical care yet end up in emergency rooms – sometimes with conditions that could have been prevented with relatively inexpensive preventive care services. In addition, many people who go to the emergency room at taxpayer expense aren’t in critical condition, but they cannot obtain medical care elsewhere because they are uninsured or cannot afford to pay a doctor.

Although health care reform is needed, I do not believe that the Obama administration has found the solution. Rejecting Obama’s program is a good first step, but it ultimately does nothing to solve the problem. In fact, last year, Idaho's current administration tried to pass $6.2 million worth of state health care expense down to county property taxpayers.

There are simple changes that can be made in our current health care system that will address some of the challenges, such as allowing the sale and purchase of health insurance across state lines. More competition should lead to lower rates. At the local level, I’ve come up with another piece of the solution as well.

With the support of my Board colleagues, I have been working on a pilot project to cut costs for both county and state taxpayers for people who are unable to pay for their own medical care. Ada County has teamed up with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, the Central District Health Department, and Idaho State University, the state’s designated Health Sciences University, to implement preventive health care screenings.

ISU students in nursing, pharmacy, dental, nutrition, counseling and other programs need opportunities to obtain hands-on training and experience. By bringing these students, with appropriate supervision by instructors, into the community to provide no-cost preventive health care screenings, it is our hope to curb the number of patients who seek costly medical health services in an emergency room setting at taxpayer expense. When a medical problem is detected, the patient is provided information on how to obtain low-cost treatment at clinics that provide services on a sliding-scale basis.

The next screening in Ada County will take place on Friday, April 23, from 3 – 7 p.m. at the Vineyard Christian Church. In the future, it is our goal to implement a similar program in other counties throughout the state.

The purpose of this health care pilot project is to promote personal responsibility for one’s own health through the provision of easily obtainable and affordable preventive health care services which will in turn lead to healthier people and less of a financial burden on taxpayers.

While the national health care debate rages on, here in Ada County, we are already doing something about the problem. Preventive health care education and screenings by students is solution-based government in action. It’s not the entire solution but it effectively helps people to help themselves and will ultimately save state and local taxpayers money as well.

Consistent Actions Speak Louder Than Words

I pledge allegiance to the flag. I pledge allegiance to the Constitution. I’ve now been asked to sign a “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” I received that states, “I, _________, PLEDGE TO THE TAXPAYERS OF THE STATE OF _________, THAT, AS TREASURER (note: I'm running for Governor), I WILL OPPOSE AND FIGHT ANY AND ALL EFFORTS TO INCREASE TAXES.” Although I support the concept of such a pledge, not knowing what circumstances lay ahead -- including ever-increasing unfunded state and federal mandates -- I find signing it to be troublesome. Here’s why:

First, integrity SHOULD mean something in the political arena. All too often it does not. Who knows what lies ahead? By signing such a pledge, for a person with integrity, the maker’s hands are tied when trying to find solutions to our public policy problems. Remember George H.W. Bush saying, “Read my lips: no new taxes”? Surely the former President meant it when he said it, but circumstances changed. Isn’t it better for a public servant to avoid such a conundrum in the first place?

Rather than signing this pledge, what I WILL do is hold up my record of nearly two decades. I have consistently stood for open government, accessible by and accountable to the people. I have consistently pushed to stop wasteful spending of public funds by the government at every level. I have consistently been extremely reluctant to support tax or fee increases.

My message and actions are consistent and I don’t change my goals, story or actions from one year to the next on the basis of whether there is an upcoming election.

When I took the oath of office for the second time on January 12th, 2009, Ada County’s budget was $193 million. Without appreciably cutting services, within less than a year, my colleagues and I had cut that budget down to $171 million. I continue to look for ways for government to operate more effectively and efficiently, in order to keep more of your money in your pockets.

Here is what I will pledge to you: I will do everything in my power to continue to ensure that government – whether county or state – is open, accessible by and accountable to the public. I will work to limit government and reduce taxes and fees whenever and wherever possible, as I have been doing consistently for nearly twenty years, whether as a citizen volunteer or as an elected official.

Good public policy is created not by signing pledges, but by people sitting down together, working out their differences, and striving to find solutions to the problems plaguing our communities today. Remember… I call it, “Solution-based government.”

FOX Faux Pas

I received a packet in the mail today from KTRV Fox 12 regarding my gubernatorial candidacy and the station’s advertising rates. In the packet was a letter, signed by Larry R. Polowski, Sports & Special Projects Coordinator. Although the envelope was addressed to me, the salutation on the letter was, “Mr. Candidate.”

Welcome to the twenty-first century Mr. Polowski, where nowadays, girls play too! ;-)

Calling for Gas Price Probe

From an April 2 news release:

Boise - Ada County Commissioner and Republican Idaho Gubernatorial Candidate Sharon Ullman today called upon Attorney General Lawrence Wasden to investigate the possibility of gas price fixing in Idaho.

In her letter to Mr. Wasden, Ullman points to a March 31 news release from AAA Idaho that states, “Easter holiday travelers will find Idaho gas prices some 16 cents higher than the national average price and sixth highest in the U.S.”

Ullman continues in her letter to Wasden, “Although I recognize that your office has previously delved into the gas price issue, it would be helpful to have a current review and explanation as to why Idaho drivers are being hit even harder than most other Americans with rapidly rising gas prices. I am writing to ask you to again investigate whether we in Idaho are victims of a price fixing scheme and if so, request that you promptly take the appropriate corrective action.”

Idaho’s high gas prices will serve to remind May Primary voters that last year, incumbent Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter vetoed appropriations bills in an effort to keep Idaho’s Legislature in Boise at a cost of $30,000 a day in order to force legislators to pass an unpopular gas tax increase. In the end, a compromise was reached that protected consumers from the Governor’s proposed gas tax increase.