Groups Urge Pawlenty Not To Cut 100K Minnesotans Off Health Care

St. Paul, MN – On Thursday afternoon, representatives from hospitals, citizen health care consumers, labor and faith-based organizations came together to persuade Governor Pawlenty that cutting over 100,000 Minnesotans off health care would wreck havoc on the state.The group held an impromptu press conference outside the Governor’s office urging Pawlenty to put all budget options on the table – including revenue-raising measures – to prevent cuts that are expected to put the health of Minnesotans at risk for years to come

 

Julie Schnell, President of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota, told the crowd that “the Governor’s ‘no-compromise’ budget means we cannot invest in a healthy Minnesota at a time when we need to most. We are here today to call on Governor Pawlenty to make the health of all Minnesotans a priority.”

 

The Minnesota Hospital Association also weighed in on the severity of the cuts.“ At the same time Minnesotans are experiencing unprecedented job and health care coverage losses, the Governor wants hospitals to ante up even more,” said Margaret Perryman, CEO of Gillette Hospital in St. Paul.
“The reality is, significant cuts to hospitals will result in job losses because hospitals in many communities are the largest employer. The inevitable state budget cuts will significantly affect the ability of hospitals to care for the elderly, disabled and children, and hospital layoffs will add to Minnesota’s economic downturn.”

 

A sign positioned behind the speakers highlighted the specific impact of the cuts if the Governor’s budget proposal were to go forward:
- More than 86,000 adults lose health coverage
- At least 26,000 children lose access to health coverage
- Hospital layoffs across Minnesota
- Hospital closings across the state
- Tens of millions of dollars in increased “uncompensated care”
- More uninsured children and adults forgoing preventative care
- The elimination or cutting of critical services, including
o Dental
o Mental Health
o Disabled Services
- Increased health care costs for all Minnesotans

The Health and Human Services omnibus bill was delivered to the Governor on Monday, after significant wrangling by House and Senate conference committee members.
The Governor has until midnight Thursday to sign or veto the bill, with a veto presumed.