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Jump to full article: Associated Press (AP), 2009-08-26
Author: MARTIGA LOHN The Associated Press
Intro: Minnesota residents got access to more online health care cost information on Wednesday, but they're still a ways off from tapping into easy price-quality comparisons that could force efficiencies.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty showed off the improvement to a nonprofit Web site, mnhealthscores.org, at a news conference where he also championed $47 million in previously appropriated grants to help communities curb smoking and obesity.
That prevention spending, approved by the Legislature in 2008, survived the Republican governor's own proposal earlier this year to cut the grants in half to help balance the budget. . . .
The prevention grants will go to 39 local and tribal governments, paying for projects such as college smoking bans and quit-smoking programs, safe walking routes for schoolchildren and fresh produce in city neighborhoods. The changes are supposed to save the state $1.9 billion by 2015 as people lose weight and stop smoking.
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