SAINT PAUL, Minn. – During its Wednesday afternoon meeting, the House Health and Human Services Finance Division will hold a public hearing on the future of Minnesota’s Health Care Access Fund. The panel, chaired by Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL – Rochester), will hear presentations from officials including Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm, Department of Human Services Commissioner Tony Lourey, officials from Minnesota Management and Budget, and others.
The Health Care Access Fund primarily allows low-income Minnesotans to access health care through Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare. Funding comes from a provider tax which, absent legislative action this year, is set to disappear. This comes after Republicans have already siphoned money away from the fund for their insurance company subsidy, reinsurance. Without the Health Care Access Fund, access to affordable health care for many Minnesotans could be put at risk. House DFLers and Governor Walz are committed to protecting this priority, meanwhile, Republicans haven’t offered any plan to account for the elimination of this funding.
Livestreaming of the hearing is available here courtesy of House Public Information Services.
WHAT: Minnesota House Health and Human Services Finance Division public hearing on the future of the Health Care Access Fund
WHO: Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL – Rochester), committee chair; Jan Malcolm, Commissioner of Health; Tony Lourey, Commissioner of Human Services
WHERE: Room 200, State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Saint Paul
WHEN: Wednesday, March 20, 6:45 p.m. (updated 3/20/19, 2:19 PM)