Johnson looking to hear South Dakotans’ voices
FORT PIERRE — President Barack Obama has said he wants to pursue substantial reform of the United States’ health care system this year. When that happens, Sen. Tim Johnson will be influenced by the views of the local health care experts he came to Fort Pierre Thursday to meet.
Nine health leaders met Johnson at the Oahe Valley Health Center Clinic Thursday afternoon for a round-table discussion touching on topics ranging from health insurance to tele-medicine to dental care for American Indian youth.
Photo caption: Local health care leaders meet with Sen. Tim Johnson Thursday. Present were Brittany Novotny (from left), executive director of the South Dakota Nurses Association; Anne Skoglund, program coordinator for the Community Healthcare Association of the Dakotas; Angela Landeen, executive director of the South Dakota Public Health Association; Ellen Lee, executive director of St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation (hidden); Sandra Melstad, president of the SDPHA; Johnson; Paul Knecht, executive director of the South Dakota Dental Association; Pierre Mayor Laurie Gill, who is also the deputy secretary of the South Dakota Department of Health; Rita Wagner, executive director at the Oahe Valley Health Center Clinic; and Jennifer Stalley, South Dakota government relations director for the American Cancer Society.
“It is very important for me to listen to the local experts instead of deciding everything in Washington,” Johnson said. “The local people give me a new sense of direction and
Johnson said substantial health care reform will not occur right away, but he said he expects action this year.
“The plan, I think, is to come up with something moderate instead of a single-payer plan for national health insurance,” Johnson said. “A public-private partnership will be best.”
Jennifer Stalley, the South Dakota government relations director for the American Cancer Society, asked Johnson to support pending legislation which would give the Federal Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products.
Johnson has co-sponsored the bill, known as the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, in the past and said he probably will sponsor it this year. Johnson also expressed his support for South Dakota’s recently passed ban on smoking in restaurants, bars and other public places.
“I commend South Dakota’s legislature for their own action on the smoking ban,” Johnson said.
Opponents of the ban are trying to refer the law to a public vote, but Johnson said he believes the law will be upheld.
“I can’t believe South Dakotans would oppose the anti-smoking measure,” said Johnson.
Attendees at the meeting said they believe it was productive.
“I think we had a good discussion and dialogue with the senator,” said South Dakota Deputy Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Health Laurie Gill, who is also Pierre’s mayor. “This is a good opportunity to bring our partners in health care around the table to talk about public health.”
The discussion was held as part of National Public Health Week, an initiative of the National Public Health Association.
Angela Landeen, executive director of the South Dakota Public Health Association, said the meeting created a tighter working relationship among health care leaders and with Johnson.
“Every time we come together like, as the representatives of different health care organizations, we feel more of a bond and a partnership, which will help us a lot when we do programs,” Landeen said.
Johnson said health care reform is one of the most important issues facing the country — and rebuffed critics who have said health care reform should wait until government deals with the economy.
“We’ll not get out of this mess until we solve the health care crisis,” Johnson said. “It’s costing us too much money, among other things, that we will not solve this problem until we get access for every American to health care.”