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Health Care

The ability to afford health care shouldn't depend on someone's paycheck or address. Our state has a history of investing in health care, healthy communities, and the well-being of Minnesotans. That's paid off in strong rates of health care coverage. But there's more to do, including dismantling barriers to living healthy lives that many people of color and people in rural areas face.

Our health care work focuses on the effects of state and federal health care policies on Minnesotans' ability to live healthy lives and get the care they need to thrive.

Research

January 2013

Covering more Minnesotans through Medicaid would improve health outcomes and reduce state costs

More than 87,000 Minnesotans would gain access to affordable health insurance and the state would save millions of dollars if lawmakers do the right thing and expand Medicaid during the 2013 Legislative Session. Providing health care to more Americans through Medicaid is a key component of the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), which is already helping thousands of Minnesotans stay healthy by improving access to affordable health insurance. Federal funds would cover nearly the entire cost of the Medicaid expansion for the first three years. That’s a good bargain for the state and for Minnesotans with private insurance who now shoulder much of the cost of caring for patients without insurance through higher premiums.

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April 2012

Poverty rises, median income falls, and more Minnesotans go without health insurance in 2010

The United States has weathered two recessions in the last decade, and the financial turmoil has taken its toll on the...

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March 2012

Health insurance exchange will improve access and affordability for many Minnesotans

In the next few years, Minnesotans will see important improvements in the way they access health insurance. The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 lays out a path for improving access to health care by reforming the nation’s health insurance system. This creates a tremendous opportunity to improve health outcomes in the state not only by increasing access to health care, but also by making insurance more affordable, ensuring a basic level of coverage and reducing health disparities.

 

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January 2012

Basic Health Plan offers a chance to provide comprehensive health care coverage for low-income Minnesotans

The number of uninsured in Minnesota has been on the rise over the last decade, with one out of 10 Minnesotans under age 65 now lacking health care coverage. And there are many others who have inadequate insurance, often relying on catastrophic health insurance plans that come with high deductibles and offer little in the way of preventive care. The recent recession and the slow economic recovery have only added to the trouble – high levels of unemployment have caused many to lose access to affordable health care coverage through their work.

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Health Care Blog Posts

July 20, 2023

Medicaid renewal deadline for first group extended to August 1

The state’s Department of Human Services has launched outreach efforts to reach the Minnesotans who need to renew their Medicaid coverage, but community organizations can help share information and resources about Medicaid coverage renewals to make sure our Minnesota neighbors continue to get the health care they and their families count on

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May 11, 2023

House-Senate conference committee considering investments to expand affordable health care

While the Health and Human Services conference committee is hashing out the specifics, we can likely say the final budget will make important investments that secure expanded access to health care and ensure a better, healthier future for many.

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February 01, 2023

Governor Walz releases FY 2024-25 budget priorities

In his proposal for the two-year FY 2024-25 budget cycle, Governor Tim Walz proposes $11.2 billion in additional funding for public services, with the largest amount of new dollars going toward education, economic development, and health and human services. He also proposes $5.4 billion in tax reductions in FY 2024-25, with the biggest component being a one-time tax rebate. Read more in our blog.

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October 25, 2022

Inflation Reduction Act advances economic relief, tax equity, and climate response

The federal Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions so that seniors, workers, and families can meet their health care and basic needs, takes important steps to address the climate crisis, and raises revenues from those with the greatest resources to invest in critical public services.

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More Health Care Blogs

Our Health Care Policy Work

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Preserving critical health care funding

Keeping Minnesota’s health care provider tax in place is a key to a healthy Minnesota. The Minnesota Budget Project worked hard alongside others to preserve this critical source of funding by repealing the scheduled sunset of the provider tax during the 2019 Legislative Session. The health care provider tax was permanently extended as part of the budget agreement reached by Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Legislature. However, the provider tax rate was reduced from 2 percent to 1.8 percent.

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