Member Login
2008 Policy Book
First | Previous | Next | Last | 2008 Index | Policy Book Archive#64 HEALTH
Michigan Farm Bureau members have a real concern for their family's good health. We oppose an all-encompassing national health care program, and instead favor improving the current system.
We support:
- Requiring hospitals in Michigan to report their infection statistics.
- Legislation to limit malpractice liability awards including, but not limited to, capping malpractice settlements and strengthening licensing disciplinary action.
- The integration of the health delivery systems' community health, mental health and substance abuse programs, which serve the same set of counties.
- A private and affordable health care plan that allows for additional benefits at the consumer's option.
- Methods to reduce the cost of prescription drugs that will best benefit all individuals.
- Health education to encourage consumers of health care to question physicians, hospital staff and administration about procedures and costs regarding their own health care.
- Insurance incentives for a healthy lifestyle.
- Health insurance premiums being 100 percent tax deductible for all policy purchasers immediately.
- Health Savings Accounts and Medical Savings Accounts.
- Medicare and Medicaid payments that cover expenses in full to hospitals. Rural hospitals should not be discriminated against by using a lower cost of living scale.
- An individual's right to select treatment options which should be respected, and we encourage the use of living wills and/or Durable Power of Attorney for health care.
- Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, midwives, and certified holistic healthcare providers being able to receive reimbursement for their services from insurance companies, Medicaid and Medicare.
- Organ and blood donations.
- Allowing "sleeping rails" on nursing home beds to help insure patient safety.
We urge the expansion of Home and Community Based Long Term Care.
We oppose any state or federal program requiring employers to provide health insurance for employees and their dependents.
We recognize there are shortages of qualified medical professionals choosing to practice in rural areas. We support programs that encourage medical professionals to locate in these rural areas, including the USDA J-1 program supporting placement of foreign-born doctors in rural areas.
