[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 56 (Wednesday, April 18, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H1920]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                            HENNEPIN HEALTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Ellison) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, the rising cost of health care is one of 
the most difficult policy decisions and budget challenges that we face 
as a Nation. The problem will continue to grow unless we act.
  Rather than cutting care for the most vulnerable, however, we must 
develop smart ways to contain costs. A great example of this type of 
innovative approach is something that I'm proud to describe for you, 
and it is happening in my district. The program is called Hennepin 
Health program, and it is in Hennepin County, Minnesota. It is run by 
Hennepin County, and it integrates care for individuals with the 
highest need. Low-income, poor individuals needing health care can be 
very expensive to treat because they end up going to the emergency 
room, as they don't have a regular care provider, and yet the Hennepin 
Health adjusts to this situation and treats them on a cost-effective 
basis.
  These individuals often face many challenges such as chemical 
dependency, chronic illnesses like diabetes and others, and unstable 
housing. Hennepin Health tries to identify the holistic needs of the 
individual, whether those needs happen to be medical care, housing, 
mental health treatment, or finding a job.
  Here are a couple of individuals who this innovative program has 
already helped. A 50-year-old Native American man from my district is 
chronically homeless and suffers from hepatitis C. He used the 
emergency room as his primary medical care, but this was only because 
he didn't have transportation to a clinic. He was entitled to a free 
bus pass, but didn't have an address to receive it. Hennepin Health 
connected him with a social worker to pick up his bus tickets, and now 
he is able to see a clinic for his health care, keeping him out of the 
emergency room, which is, of course, the most expensive type of care 
and which you can't be rejected from for good reason, because it would 
be inhumane to do so.
  The program has also helped an African American man in my district 
who has had a history of heart disease, kidney disease, and 
homelessness. Hennepin Health was able to connect him to housing 
providers, which helped him to stay out of the emergency room as well. 
He is now able to get all of his medical and mental health needs 
addressed at a health care home.
  These are great success stories, people who are low income, who have 
serious health challenges, who don't have any health care, and so they 
seek the health care of last resort, the emergency room, which happens 
to be very expensive to treat them at. This is not the most effective 
way nor the most compassionate way to treat them. Ongoing regular 
treatment from a provider is what is needed. Hennepin Health has saved 
money, and more importantly has helped people, members of our society, 
Americans, get their health care needs met.
  As some cities have found, 1 percent of the individuals in a safety 
net program can often account for up to a third of the cost because of 
this problem of ending up at the emergency room. By coordinating care 
for high-need individuals, health care programs can greatly reduce 
costs while also providing better care.
  While Hennepin Health program is new, it is extremely promising and 
has already demonstrated it can be a model for the Nation. I might add, 
Mr. Speaker, this is government, yes, government, delivering good 
service by being affordable, low cost, and smart. Chalk one up for the 
American taxpayer and people who are in chronic need of health care.
  Mr. Speaker, Hennepin Health is a good idea. I'm proud of it.

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