“Minnesota Health Security Act” Moves Forward in MN Senate

(St. Paul, MN) March 23, 2009  –  Momentum behind a visionary health care reform bill mounted on Monday afternoon, when the Senate Health, Housing and Family Security committee moved the “Minnesota Health Security Act” (MHSA) forward.  The bill initially cleared the House Health Policy Committee at the end of January. 

The MHSA, co-authored by Senator Tony Lourey and Representative Paul Thissen, charts a much-needed path toward fundamental health care reform in Minnesota.  In its first phase, it would cover all children regardless of income or geography without co-pays or premiums. The bill’s second phase would build in access to health care coverage for all Minnesota adults by 2012, holding costs to no more than 5 per cent of family income.   The MHSA would also provide the means to generate savings for the state and families by streamlining current health care programs, reducing “uncompensated care,” and commissioning an independent study of how to achieve cost-savings from the current health care system.  

Kim Anderson, a Rochester-based mother of four, testified to the frustration of parents across the state who are “stuck in the middle” – making too much to qualify for state coverage (like MN Care) but earning too little to afford private coverage.  Anderson lost her job at the end of 2007, and the family health coverage that went with it.  “My husband works two full-time jobs but we cannot afford the hit to our income by paying the high cost of family premiums every month.  The only way we could provide health coverage for our children is if my husband quit working and we went on assistance.  We don’t want to do that.”  She said the Minnesota Health Security Act would help “countless hard-working Minnesota families” like hers obtain needed health care coverage.

Mary Cathryn Ricker, President of the St. Paul Federation of Teachers told the Senate committee that the legislation offers an important path toward comprehensive and affordable care for all Minnesotans – starting with children. Citing Minnesota’s long history of leadership on health reform, Ricker said that “the growing attention to federal reform makes our efforts here in Minnesota more – not less – important.”  She explained that “educators face enormous hurdles in the classroom teaching children that are too sick to learn.  The Minnesota Health Security Act would give every Minnesota kid the opportunity to get the health care they need, when they need it, allowing them the chance to realize their full potential as students.” 

Minnesota, once a national health care leader, now has over 375,000 residents, including almost 80,000 children – 90 per cent with parents that are working -- who are uninsured.  State statistics also show that 240,000 Minnesotans spend more than 25 per cent on health care costs.

Passing decisively by voice vote, the Minnesota Health Security Act awaits further action by committees in both the House and Senate.

The Make Health Happen campaign coalition partners include TakeAction Minnesota, AFSCME Council 5, Children’s Defense Fund Minnesota, Education Minnesota, ISAIAH, Minnesota Nurses Association, SEIU Minnesota State Council, the Minnesota AFL-CIO, and the Land Stewardship Project.  For more information on the Minnesota Health Security Act and the “Make Health Happen” please visit www.MakeHealthHappen.org.