AFP-Nebraska Views Denying Access to Mayo Clinic as Example of What’s to Come With Government-run Health Care

Contact: Brad Stevens (402) 310-7897; bstevens@afphq.org

- Nebraska Medicaid Patients Denied Treatment at Mayo Clinic Because Government-run Program Offers Low Payment Rates, Administrative Burden –

Patients come from all over the world to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, for innovative and high quality health care. Yet, starting next year, Nebraska Medicaid patients will be barred from continuing their treatment at the Mayo Clinic because of ‘low payment rates and a heavy administrative burden’ associated with Medicaid.

Americans for Prosperity-Nebraska is concerned that any health care reform that gives more power to the federal government over our health care decisions will result in behavior such as denying Nebraskans access to one of the world’s best health care providers.

The Mayo Clinic is ranked among the world’s best Hospitals for the 20th year in a row, according to U.S. News and World Report. Yet, Nebraska Medicaid patients will soon be denied access to high-quality health care.

AFP-Nebraska has urged its 20,000 grassroots members to contact Senator Ben Nelson and tell him we want access to the best possible care. We are greatly concerned that health care legislation currently being debated in Washington will result in more examples of patients losing access to quality care.

While Nebraska is home to extraordinary health care providers, the Mayo Clinic is a world-renowned environment within driving distance for most Nebraskans. Unfortunately, that option is now off-limits for patients on the government-run health care program.