Duluth Legislators Oppose Flawed GOP Health and Human Services Bill

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, May 1 -- The Minnesota House Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus issued the following news release:

Today the Minnesota House considered a combined Health and Human Services and Transportation omnibus budget bill. The bill protects people with disabilities by preventing an impending seven percent cut to service providers. Overall though, the bill included a number of provisions which, according to Duluth lawmakers, fail to improve health care for Minnesotans.

"Instead of taking steps to ensure all Minnesotans have the affordable, quality health care they need, House Republicans have once again sided with special interests like insurance companies and big pharma," said Rep. Jen Schultz (DFL - Duluth), a member of the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee. "The price of health care remains a barrier to economic security for many Minnesota families, and this bill doesn't do anything to lower health care costs or insurance premiums."

Rep. Schultz took particular exception with a provision extending short-term health insurance policies up to 12 months, with an option to renew them for an additional year. These short-term health insurance options don't cover preexisting conditions for the first six months.

"We aren't going to improve people's health by giving them junk insurance policies which don't cover the things they need to stay healthy," Rep. Schultz said. "Short term insurance fails to provide essential benefits like cancer care, care for diabetes, asthma, opioid and other substance abuse addiction and mental health care. It fails to cap out of pocket spending which will lead to bankruptcy and more uncompensated care."

The bill also included a provision preventing future implementation of the MinnesotaCare Buy-In, a key priority of Gov. Mark Dayton and DFLers in the Legislature. This solution would give Minnesotans the option to purchase quality insurance with access to providers across the state with premiums approximately 28 percent less expensive than plans on the private market.

While the bill contained some measures targeting bipartisan priorities, like addressing elder abuse and ending the opioid crisis, they were half-measures falling short of fully protecting Minnesotans. Regarding elder abuse, the bill largely omitted recommendations of the AARP's consumer work group, which included licensing parameters for assisted living facilities and strong accountability measures to keep seniors safe.

"By allowing the industry to largely dictate the shape of these reforms as the Republican majority has done, we're doing a disservice to Minnesota seniors and their families," said Rep. Liz Olson (DFL - Duluth), a member of the House Subcommittee on Aging and Long-Term Care. "No matter where they call 'home,' Minnesota seniors deserve to live in safe, healthy environments where they are treated with dignity and respect. Let's take meaningful steps ensuring this instead of just creating more task forces as this bill does."

Also absent from the bill was the Opioid Stewardship Fee proposed by Gov. Dayton and supported by legislators of both parties. This "penny a pill" assessment on pharmaceutical manufactures would fund prevention, treatment and recovery strategies in an effort to end the state's persistent opioid crisis.

"Lives continue to tragically be lost due to this epidemic, but Big Pharma continues to take in record profits while showing no accountability for this problem," Rep. Olson said. "Our communities desperately need solutions to save lives, and it would be an incredible letdown if this session ended without bold actions, like the Opioid Stewardship Fee."

The bill will now head to a House/Senate conference committee where it will be reconciled with the Senate's Omnibus Finance Bill, which contains all areas of the state budget.