Minutes 03/09/1976 - Laserfiche WebLink

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1C TUESDAY MARCH 9~ 1976 health-care facilities are spent wisely and efficiently; however, I am opposed to the already passed National Health Planning and Resources Act of 1974 for the following reasons: (1) The Act places authority for the planning and expenditure of public funds in an autonomous health planning agency which is not accountable to the people through elected officials. ~- (2) The HSA's are required, by law, to be run by a board consisting of a majority of health service consumers. Health service providers are minority members. In my opinion~ the assumption that consumers know more about health care than providers is wrong. (3) Under Federal Law~ if the health plan developed by the HSA conflicts with other plans developed by local governments, the health plan developed by the HSA will prevail. (4) Control of the health programs throughout the United States will be federalized through extensively broad powers vested in the Secretary of HEW, many powers to come through regulations not specifically spelled out by Congress. Based on what I have read~ the Act gives entirely too much power to the Secretary of HEW, and I don't want to give a blank endorsement to HEW for the planning and implementation of our local health facilities. (5) I am concerned about the administrative costs of the regional HSA's. (6) Final1y~ I am concerned about the effect of this Act on Martinsvi11e. As mentioned~ Martinsvi1le is in a large health service area which includes seven planning districts~ 29 counties and 12 cities. The area composes 13,888 square miles, the largest area of all delineations in the state~ and 1,124,400 peop1e~ the second largest in the state. It is my understanding that no one from Martinsvi1le will serve on the regional HSA board the first year and~ since there are only five representatives from the entire