My name is Randy Johnson, Chair of the Hennepin County, Minnesota, Board of Commissioners and President of NACo, the National Association of Counties. Today, we will describe the county role in tobacco lawsuits and the issues affecting counties in pending federal legislation. Joining me are county officials from counties who have filed suit separate and apart from the states. They filed lawsuits prior to the June 1997 proposed settlement. Many of them filed prior to their states.
Counties have significant responsibilities in health care and in enforcing health ordinances.
The chart that you see outlines that role. As you see, counties bear some or total responsibility for health services as providers of last resort in 36 states. In 27 states, counties contribute to the non-federal share of Medicaid by financing benefits or administrative functions. Because of that role, any federal tobacco settlement legislation must contain at least two key county components. An equitable allocation of funds must be made for costs counties incur in providing primary and hospital care, and to support local governments in delivering public health programs for the entire community.