Claiming Our Vision on Health Care—One Story at a Time

“I am a self-employed horse trainer and I moved back to Minnesota to start my business, in part specifically because of MinnesotaCare. It has provided fabulous coverage for me, and I could not run my business without it. I have been able to live a healthy, productive life thanks to MinnesotaCare, without stress of deciding whether I can afford to go to the doctor or have my insurance taken away. – Jana K.  

“If it wasn’t for Medical Assistance, I would be unable to receive the care I need to manage my depression, psychosis, and suicidal ideation. Without care, I could die.” – Margaret D.

“About 2.5 years ago I had to drop out of college because my depression got too severe.  Then I spent most of that 2.5 years going from program-to-program to medication-to-medication, and none of it was working. Then my therapist suggested ECT, which is electroconvulsive therapy, and I did that. That worked very well, and it was completely covered by my health insurance. Without health insurance, it would have cost $13,000, and that would have been really, really, really, hard on me and my family. – Lauren K. 

 “When I lived in California, New York, and Illinois, I couldn’t afford health insurance. I went bankrupt because of health care expenses.” – Sue Ellen Z.

We all have a health care story, because health care is a basic, fundamental need.  

We get sick. We have babies. We go to the dentist. We have our vision checked. We use birth control. We have injuries. We struggle with mental health. We get annual exams and check-ups. Health care is about what we need to care for ourselves, our families, and communities throughout our lives.  

But having coverage or not having coverage (and the kind of coverage we can afford) affects us in both little and significant ways.  From not being able to afford our preferred medication, to not being able to access life-saving care, insurance affects our ability to have self-determination over our bodies, health, and lives.  

We don’t live in a bubble—our lives and communities are interconnected. The health of our neighbors and coworkers affects all of us. Taking responsibility for our health care system means ensuring that each of us has the information, resources, and coverage needed to make health care decisions that make sense for them. And we all need to invest in and fight for a system that priorities our health and wellness over profit.   

We are working to pass the policies our communities need today, so that we can build something better and more transformative tomorrow.

Minnesota’s provider tax, which is set to sunset this year, helps to finance the Health Care Access Fund (HCAF). HCAF has been used over the years to fund critical public health care programs, including MinnesotaCare and Medical Assistance. There is no plan in place to protect the thousands of Minnesotans who could lose care if the provider tax expires in 2019. Minnesota legislators need to repeal the sunset early in session, so that we can focus on actually expanding, not just protecting, coverage and programs. 

The pathway to simple, affordable, universal health care is through public health insurance—not the failing private market.People overwhelmingly support the MinnestoaCare Buy-In. That’s why TakeAction Minnesota members are fighting to make sure any individual or small business has the option to buy into MinnesotaCare. 

And we are building on the success of Earned Sick and Safe Time, which has passed in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth, to pass statewide legislation so that workers across Minnesota can take the time off that they need to care for themselves and their families.  

These are steps that we can take this session to improving health care—but our vision goes beyond 2019. We are laying the groundwork for a pathway to single-payer and a universal system of care, so that Minnesotans like Jana, Margaret, Sue Ellen, and Lauren never have to worry about caring for themselves and their families.  

Throughout session, we’ll be sharing your health care stories—together, we’re making our voices heard so we can win people-centered health care. 

We will be exploring the intersections of health care—how our fight for criminal justice reforms, clean air and clean water, access to public transportation, gender and racial justice, and other issues intersect with our vision for simple, affordable health care.   

Because no matter the policy, our legislators need to hear from real people who are living, working, and navigating our health care system.  Together, we can reclaim our health care and build a universal system of care that works for all of us. 

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We want to hear from you. Share your health care stories with us, and be a part of a movement of people using their voices to put people back at the center of health care policy.