Rep. Liebling statement on Senate GOP’s devastating HHS budget

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – The Minnesota Senate is scheduled to consider their Health and Human Services budget Tuesday. Over four years, it contains over $1 billion in harmful cuts, including cuts to critical health care programs and elimination of state funding for child care assistance. Further, the budget relies on made-up savings that non-partisan fiscal staff cannot verify.

Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL – Rochester), Chair of the House Health and Human Services Finance Division, issued the following statement:

“Minnesotans need the opportunity to live healthy lives, with access to the care they need, when they need it, and for a price they can afford. Unfortunately, the Senate Republican budget does not deliver. It eliminates lower-cost dental care for low-income adults, which will lead to poorer health and higher costs through emergency room visits. It fails to continue funding for the Health Care Access Fund, putting the stability of rural hospitals at risk and jeopardizing health care for over 1.2 million Minnesotans. As prescription drug prices skyrocket, Senate Republicans do little to control these costs. They also gutted funding that helps low-income working families with child care costs, helping many Minnesota families climb out of poverty.

“These cuts would be bad enough, but their numbers are not based on reality. They claim nearly half a billion dollars in fake savings.

“House DFLers value access to affordable health care, and we invest real money to make it happen. I look forward to working with Governor Walz and members of the Senate to truly strengthen health care in Minnesota.”