KHPA hears local health care concerns at Thursday Mercy forum

On Thursday at Mercy Health Center, the Kansas Health Policy Authority (KHPA) met with area business owners and business representatives. Both small and large businesses were represented at the meeting.

The (KHPA) "is a state agency created to develop and maintain a coordinated and data-driven health policy agenda." The agency has been charged with the mission of reforming the delivery of health care in the state of Kansas, a written document provided by the KHPA stated.

Members of the agency met with members of the community to capture the ideas and questions of local businesses regarding health care. One question the agency is asking is whether or not Kansans want more health care or better health care, a written statement said. According to that statement, the answer to the previous question is that more health care is wanted.

Anticipations are that health care costs will be "19 percent of the country's economy, and 63 percent of that growth will be due to a rise in treated diseases," KHPA officials said in a written document.

Some of these treated diseases include obesity, hypertension, and cancer, the statement stated. Childhood obesity was a big concern of several of the forum participants. One participant suggested that children should be required to participate in physical education classes every year they are school-age.

USD 234 Superintendent Rick Werling told those present that the school district was making every effort to provide healthy meals for the children in the district and endeavoring to teach kids healthier habits.

The rising cost of health care and the inability for lower income families to pay for health care coverage was also an issue among those present. Several options to combat this problem were discussed. Forum members were asked if they would approve of either a higher tobacco tax or an increase in the sales tax to fund health care coverage for those who need assistance maintaining coverage.

Members discussed the possibility of making health care coverage mandatory. Some of those present expressed interest in having the government offer incentives for those who maintain proper health care coverage.

Fort Scott City Manager Richard Nienstedt expressed concern for those whose incomes are not enough to cover proper health care coverage. Also, those who have pre-existing issues will find it harder to obtain insurance coverage outside of a group plan at their places of employment, Nienstedt said.

Some business representatives support accountability measures, each individual or family who is receiving help with medical coverage should commit to a healthy living style. This could include exercising, attending wellness fairs and not smoking.

According to written material provided by the KHPA, the decisions regarding employees' individual health are the cause of many health issues.

"Many factors impact our health , but our health behaviors are responsible for more than half or our health outcomes. Reforming our health system will require that we reform ourselves too. In Kansas, 60.5 percent of adults are overweight or obese, 20.4 percent use tobacco, and almost one fourth of Kansans have high blood pressure," the KHPA literature said.

The KHPA forum was informative, and agency representatives were pleased with the outcome, Mercy Health Center Marketing and Development Director Carla Farmer said.

"On Nov.1, 2007, the Kansas Health Policy Authority Board will report to the governor and Kansas (and) Legislature health reform options aimed at improving the health and health care systems in Kansas," KHPA written material said.

The KHPA mission, according to its literature, is to "provide and protect affordable health insurance for all Kansans, pay for prevention and a primary care medical home in to improve health outcomes, coordinate care, and drive down health care costs, and promote personal responsibility to embrace healthy behaviors, contribute to the cost of health insurance, and use health care dollars more wisely."