June 7 forum will address health care reform issues

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The Missouri Research Corporation and PARE (Providers Assuring Rehabilitation Efficacy) are hosting a forum on June 7 to discuss healthcare costs burdening employers and employees.

Glenn Auditorium in Dempster Hall on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University is the location of the event set from 3 to 5 p.m. Business leaders, human resource directors, health care employers and providers, health insurance representatives, governmental and agency employees and anyone interested in the need to control rising health care costs and their impact on business should plan to attend.

Senator Jason Crowell (MO-27) and Steve McPheeters (Noranda Aluminum) are serving as facilitators for the meeting.

Rita Needham of the Southwest Area Manufacturers Association and Dr. John Kraemer of the Southeast Center for Environmental Analysis will speak.

Needham will discuss a model health care consortium formed in southwest Missouri to control costs, which resulted in a change to Missouri law that provides new opportunities for small employers. Kraemer will discuss how an asthma education program he designed has saved the local region over a half million dollars in health care costs.

There will be question-and-answer time for the speakers and facilitators as well as general discussion time on topics including:

* Controlling rising health care costs;

* Climbing insurance rates;

* The cost burden on large and small businesses;

* The impact on global competition; and

* Needed legislation

Crowell invites anyone interested in this topic to make his voice heard. "The issue of healthcare reform is so important to Missourians that I would like to see a diverse group of providers, businesspersons, and individuals attend so that we can aggressively explore creative ways the Missouri legislature can help," he said.

The event is free of charge and the public is invited.