Is the Minnesota Health Plan socialized medicine?
No. Socialized medicine is a system where the government employs all healthcare providers. In the MnHP, like in Medicare, health care is publicly financed (through progressive premiums) but delivered through existing doctors, clinics and hospitals. Some opponents claim that under a single plan, the government will make the medical decisions. But in the MnHP, medical decisions are left to the patient and doctor, as they should be, not by government or insurance plans, as they currently are. Under the Minnesota Health Plan, doctors and hospitals that are in the private sector remain in the private sector.
No. Under the MHP, doctors and hospitals that are now privately-owned would continue to be privately owned. They would compete for your business by providing superior care. No. Socialized medicine is a system where the government employs all healthcare providers. In the MHP, like in Medicare, health care is publicly financed but delivered through existing doctors, clinics and hospitals. Under the Minnesota Health Plan, doctors and hospitals that are in the private sector remain in the private sector. Some opponents erroneously claim that under a single plan, the government will make the medical decisions. In reality, under the current system medical decisions are made by insurance plans, But in the MHP, medical decisions are left to the patient and doctor as they should be.
