WASHINGTON — Lynn Schurman wants to see the same sense of commitment from Minnesota’s congressional delegation that she feels for finding a solution to the nation’s health care crisis
That’s why the Cold Spring Bakery owner spent the past two days in Washington with other Minnesotans, dropping in at lawmakers’ offices to talk about their health care experiences and to stress a need to revamp the system.
“There’s a sense of urgency that we can’t let this opportunity go by,” Schurman said. “We need to have health care reform, and we need to have something that works for small businesses.”
St. Paul, MN -- The skyrocketing cost of health insurance is increasingly putting health care further out of reach of working families and businesses in Minnesota, according to a new report released today by TakeAction Minnesota as part of Health Care for America Now (HCAN) – the nation’s largest health care campaign.Due to crushing job losses amidst an 8.1 percent Minnesota state unemployment rate as of April, working families statewide are finding themselves without health benefits just as the cost of buying coverage through private insurance companies climbs to new records.
The new HCAN report on private health insurance affordability in Minnesota put forth some alarming statistics:
- While income for Minnesotans grows by .8 percent (that’s point eight percent!), the full cost of employer-sponsored health insurance in Minnesota is projected to grow at an annual rate of 8.5 percent. - Health insurance premiums rose 74 percent between 2000 and 2007 for Minnesota families. In dollars, that means the cost of family health coverage in Minnesota has increased from $6,957 to $12,090, and workers in Minnesota are not making enough money to keep up. - From 2000 to 2007, health insurance premiums rose 4.3 times faster than wages. - For family health coverage in Minnesota, the average employer’s portion of annual premiums rose 77 percent, while the average worker’s share grew by 66 percent, from 2000 to 2007.
“These startling numbers show health insurance companies are taking advantage of hard-working families, and we cannot wait for comprehensive health care reform that puts people’s health care needs before the profits of the private insurance companies,” said Laura Askelin, President of the AFL-CIO Southest Area Labor Council and AFSCME Council 5 political organizer. “While Minnesotans are worrying whether health care will be there for them when they need it most, health insurers are busy spending money lobbying Members of Congress to vote against real choice and competition in the health care marketplace. Minnesotans need the kind of choice a public plan would offer: lowered costs, a guaranteed back-up health plan, and keeping insurance companies honest.”
Monday’s report indicates that reliance on private health insurers has been a losing proposition for Minnesotans. A new poll last week from NBC/Wall Street Journal showed that 3 out of 4 Americans support President Obama’s plan to create a public health insurance option NOT run by the insurance companies. Such a government-sponsored health insurance option would provide real competition with private health insurers to lower costs and provide a guaranteed accessible back-up plan for individuals and families not able to keep up with the outrageous costs of the private insurance market.
On June 24 and 25, nearly 70 representatives from Minnesota, all members of Minnesota’s “Make Health Happen” health care reform coalition, will join thousands of health care activists in Washington, D.C. for the largest-ever lobbying effort in support of a public health insurance option as a centerpiece of federal health care reform legislation this year. Activists will meet with members of their congressional delegations, including Senator Amy Klobuchar, lobbying them to publicly support President Obama’s health care reform plan. In addition to Laura Askelin, Minnesota’s HCAN representatives also include:
- Kathryn “Jody” Beaulieu (Tribal Secretary, Red Lake Nation Tribal Council) - Rev. Grant Stevenson (President, ISAIAH) - Linda Slattengren (President, Minnesota Nurses Association) - Lynn Schurman (Co-Owner, Cold Spring Bakery, ISAIAH GRIP leader)
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.
(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.
In today's edition of Workday Minnesota, the Minnesota Health Security Act was touted as key legislation in the effort to secure health care access for all Minnesotans, and a critical "ingredient" in the "Minnesota Recipe for Economic Security, Fairness & Opportunity."
Dan McGrath, Executive Director of TakeAction Minnesota, one of the "Make Health Happen" campaign's organizational members, was featured on KFAI radio's "Truth to Tell" program on Wednesday, February 18. The program featured a debate about the different paths to health care reform in Minnesota -- including the Minnesota Health Security Act. Please click here to go to KFAI.org to listen to the broadcast.
ST. PAUL - Passage of the Minnesota Health Security Act by a key House panel is an important first step in the effort to provide health coverage for hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans, leaders of the "Make Health Happen" Coalition said.
A coalition of health-advocacy organizations has proposed a law to fix Minnesota's part in the nation's health-care problems.
The Minnesota Health Security Act would require "comprehensive,
affordable health care for everyone in Minnesota, starting with our
state's children."
According to "Make Health Happen Campaign," the coalition represents
350,000 members of organizations like the Minnesota Nurses Association;
the Children's Defense Fund; the Minnesota branch of American
Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); and
unions representing service and industrial workers.
Dr. Elizabeth Frost is a family practitioner at St. Paul's West Side
Community clinic. One day last week, she diagnosed a likely case of
breast cancer in a 51-year-old uninsured woman too poor to pay for her
exam. Fortunately, the state of Minnesota has a free cancer-screening
program for women over 40 to help detect breast and cervical cancer.
"Today at the State Capitol, a coalition representing 350,000 Minnesotans will launch a campaign to reshape the future of our state's economy, its business climate, its schools and its workforce. The campaign has just one goal: to provide health coverage to every Minnesotan and reap the enormous long-term economic and social benefits that healthy citizens bring."
