Grassroots Successes

LGN’s efforts in grassroots advocacy have already garnered positive tangible results for its clients. More than 1,000 letters were sent to the Capitol in 2008 from LGN’s clients alone regarding the health reform bill. This is in addition to countless calls to the Capitol. Additionally, LGN worked to mobilize a coalition of organizations with concerns over the bill and aide them in sending comparable messages. These efforts had a direct impact on the debate of the health reform bill, and led to the passage of an amendment delaying implementation of the bill and requiring the creation of a panel of representatives from the private sector to oversee the payment reform portion of the bill.

LGN worked to organize physicians who own ambulatory surgical centers and diagnostic imaging facilities to fend off attempts to authorize legislation hindering a doctor’s efforts to open up his or her own practice. During the 2007-2008 legislative sessions, years that featured ample debates on health policy, there were no attempts to pass legislation resurrecting a Certificate of Need process.

LGN helped the Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology, the Minnesota Medical Group Management Association and the Minnesota Ambulatory Health Care Consortium enhance their key contact networks and organize themselves in a manner where their members can communicate with their elected officials in a moment’s notice and get results.

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