|
(Minneapolis) … Minnesotans are misinformed on key health
care issues, according to a Decision Resources study released
today. The study was conducted in response to an invitation
by Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm for private
sector research into health care coverage, quality, regulation
and prevention. The results show wide knowledge gaps about
the number of Minnesotans who have health insurance, satisfaction
rates, patient rights and preventing illness.
"This study is an election year eye-opener. Many Minnesotans
do not have a basic understanding of the facts on which good
public policy must be based. It’s dangerous for policy
decisions to be made based not on facts, but on misperception
and politics," said William Morris, president of Decision
Resources, Ltd., an independent research firm headquartered
in Minneapolis. The study found:
Coverage for the uninsured
- Only 2 percent of Minnesotans are aware that the state
leads the nation in health coverage.
Perception: Most Minnesotans (52 percent in
the survey) believe up to half of state residents have
no health insurance, and 56 percent believe Minnesota’s
uninsurance rate is equal to or worse than the national
average.
Reality: According to the Minnesota Department
of Health, more than 90 percent of Minnesotans have
some form of health insurance, and the state’s
uninsurance rate is less than half the national average.
Satisfaction
- The vast majority of Minnesotans are satisfied with their
own managed care plans, yet more than half have an unfavorable
impression of "HMOs" generally.
Perception: Fifty-six percent of Minnesotans
say they have an unfavorable impression of "HMOs"
based on what they’ve seen and heard.
Reality: Minnesotans give their own managed
care plans high rankings. In this survey, 86 percent
of Minnesotans say they are satisfied with their own
health coverage.
Patient Rights
- Less than a third of Minnesotans are aware that the state
has one of the nation’s strongest and most comprehensive
patient protection acts regulating HMOs.
Perception: Seventy-one percent of state residents
do not think or do not know if the Minnesota Legislature
has ever enacted a Patient Protection Act.
Reality: The Legislature has passed more than
10 patient protection laws since 1973, including a Bill
of Rights and Patient Protection Act.
Prevention
- Even with recent attention to smoking-related illnesses,
just 20 percent of Minnesotans know that smoking is the
leading cause of preventable death.
Perception: Thirty percent of state residents
believe that drug and alcohol abuse is the leading cause
of preventable death and another 30 percent say automobile
accidents.
Reality: Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable
death. More deaths can be attributed to tobacco use
than to alcohol, drugs, firearms, motor vehicle crashes
and HIV/AIDS combined, according to the Minnesota Department
of Health.
Conducted in September 2000, the Decision Resources survey
of 800 Minnesotans included a representative sample of ages,
income levels, ethnic origins, locations and educational backgrounds
throughout the state. The survey was funded by the Minnesota
Council of Health Plans.
"A high priority for Gov. Ventura is greater citizen
empowerment on the issues that affect our lives. And knowledge
is power," Malcolm said. "We must do a better job
giving the public the information they need to make better
decisions for themselves and to better influence public policy.
This study shows we have our work cut out for us."
Since 1983 Decision Resources, Ltd. has conducted research
across the nation in the public, private and political sectors.
The firm’s main offices are in Minneapolis, with 60 full-
and part-time staff members who possess extensive backgrounds
in public affairs, survey research and statistical methods.
|
