Health care is the topic today as the House and Senate take up their Health and Human Services bills. It's the last major budget bill on the docket. House Health Care Finance Chair Tom Huntley said all health care is cut 3% and said "it's painful but not what the governor proposed." Huntley said his cut is 1/10 of Pawlenty's. The chair said the governor kicks 113,000 people off healthcare and Huntley added "those people have to go somewhere, somebody will pay." He said in his bill there are "minor cuts to nursing homes." Those on medical assistance and MN Care "won't see any significant decrease in their health care" according to Huntley.
The Health Care Policy Chair Paul Thissen added there's reform and "we restore that lack of trust between the state and counties." As far as the Swine Flu, Huntley said "our Department of Health is as prepared as they can be." He said he doesn't think the public understands the seriousness of this because there's not enough space in the Twin Cities' hospitals if there's an outbreak here. He said patients would have to be sent out to Rochester or Duluth.
Protesters lined up in front of the House Chamber upset about the cuts and defending immigrant benefits. The Senate says in its bill:
No health care eligibility cuts were made in this plan. No dental or therapy services were
removed from health care services provided through state health care programs. The
integrity of the Health Care Access Fund was maintained and 20,000 more children will
qualify for health insurance under the Senate’s proposal.