Most average Minnesota wage earners wouldn’t stand for a 25 percent increase in income taxes, nor a doubling of property taxes.

That’s why the recent increase in out-of-pocket costs for health care should also alarm working people and others who pay for health insurance. The Minnesota Department of Health released a report last week that showed out-of-pocket costs per person enrolled in a health insurance plan rose by an average of $562.

And as health care costs rise, those with health insurance see their out-of-pocket costs rising from 10 percent of total health care spending to 14 percent. Employers and health insurance plans are imposing higher costs on workers that can be likened to raising a tax rate.

The increases come, according to the report, even as expenses for private health insurance plans were about the same from 2005 to 2006. That’s not surprising. The unpredictable nature of health care expenses for an insurance company make it difficult to plan for rate increases.

The rising cost of providing health care, of course, is driving the cost of the health insurance premiums and growth in deductibles and co-pays. Minnesota has a task force charged with working to come up with solutions to rein in rising costs.

There are good ideas out there. They just need to be implemented instead of debated for months, missing legislative deadlines.

Former Independent candidate for governor Peter Hutchinson had one great idea that called for making all claim forms in Minnesota uniform. It would cut out some of the unnecessary administration expense and confusion. Even better, the form could be electronically transferred easily and efficiently.

Still, administrative costs are only about 10 percent of total health care spending by private health plans. Physician fees and inpatient hospital costs are the largest share of costs at 33 percent and 20 percent respectively. Drug costs make up 13 percent.

Development of best practices and more direct physician to consumer price information will make consumers better users of health care. Some progress has been made in this area, but it has mostly been done by insurance companies fighting the health care providers.

Best practice information would be helpful if distributed on a statewide basis and if it is easily understandable to consumers.

Drug costs can be reined in by allowing more importation from Canada, something that has been fought by the drug lobbies for years.

As the number of people needing more health care grows with the aging of the baby boom generation, these solutions will make less of a dent in the overall costs.

Ultimately, consumers have to take care of themselves. Avoid overeating, and smoking or excessive drinking. Get exercise, be active. A 25 percent increase in taxes each year should be motivation enough.