Our families, friends, and communities are stronger when everyone has the healthcare that they need. Quality, affordable healthcare is out of reach for many Minnesotans right now. But this fall, we have the opportunity to elect politicians who will fight for more affordable and accessible healthcare. Join us on Tuesday, October 30, as we work to get out the vote for candidates like Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan who will fight for single payer health care for all Minnesotans. Sign up for a shift today.
Join us to text voters to support Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan. We will be talking to members in the community sharing our stories and talking about why Tim and Peggy are the right choice for creating a strong Minnesota centering healthcare. There’s no need to have any experience phone banking. We will be doing a short training to provide you with all the tools you need.
Join us to door knock for Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan in Shakopee! We will be talking to members in the community sharing our stories and talking about why Tim and Peggy are the right choice for creating a strong Minnesota centering healthcare! There’s no need to have any experience phone banking, we will be doing a short training to provide you with all the tools you need!… Continue reading »
Join us to call seniors to support Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan. We will be talking to members in the community about Tim and Peggy, sharing our stories about how we can create a strong Minnesota with better access to healthcare. There’s no need to have any experience phone banking. We will be doing a short training to provide you with all the tools you need.
Join us to text voters in the South Metro about supporting Tim Walz and Peggy Flanagan. We will be talking to members in the community, sharing our healthcare stories and talking about why Tim and Peggy are the right choice for creating a strong Minnesota centering healthcare. There’s no need to have any experience text banking. We will be doing a short training to provide you with all the tools you need.… Continue reading »
Come and join us for a meet and greet session with gubernatorial candidate Tim Walz and his running mate for Lt. Governor, Peggy Flanagan! This meeting will take place in the Grand Hall at North Hennepin Community College.
The Central Minnesota Cares Campaign is hosting a candidate forum at the Tech High School Auditorium with local house candidates from House Districts 14A, Tama Theis and Aric Putnam, and 14B, Dan Wolgamott, as well as Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District candidates, Tom Emmer and Ian Todd.
Over the last several months groups with the MN Cares Campaign have had hundreds of conversations with families in Central Minnesota and found that, across the political spectrum, voters in St. Cloud are struggling with issues of family care and urgently want politicians to put forth bold solutions. Though many conversations, this is what we found:
The struggles that Central Minnesotans are facing around care intersects with many issues affecting our state, from affordable housing, education, and transportation, to mass incarceration and immigration. Come engage with these candidates’ vision to address the care crisis facing Minnesota families. … Continue reading »
Join us for the launch of our monthly healthcare potlucks! At TakeAction Minnesota, one of our core values is that we heal together in public. We will be coming together with other womxn of color in our community to share what our experiences have been like with mental health and access to providers, we will be doing some self-care activities, sharing resources for low cost mental health services, and will be participating in a short training on getting grounded in our stories.
Please feel free to bring a dish or non-alcoholic beverage to share.
At TakeAction Minnesota, we believe healing together in public is integral to creating a community where we thrive with joy. Join TakeAction Minnesota and the Be a Hero Tour to share stories on how keeping the Affordable Care Act, stopping the #TaxScam bill, and passing Medicare for All is necessary for our community. Ady and TakeAction Minnesota leaders will share their stories. We will be doing an action at Representative Erik Paulsen’s Office to demonstrate the urgency of our community to keep the ACA!
The Be A Hero Tour is mobilizing voters around healthcare, human dignity, and the urgent need to ask our elected officials to be heroes. Ady Barkan and the campaign are driving across the country, from Maine to California, through 30+ competitive congressional districts, sharing his and others’ powerful stories making vivid the very real damage that the Tax Bill and the attack on our healthcare are doing to hard-working American families.
Learn more about the Be a Here Tour and Ady’s powerful story by watching Here
We are an emerging alliance of child care providers, parents, clergy, home care workers, school employees, small business owners and community organizations uniting to ensure that every child, parent, grandparent, and caregiver in Saint Cloud can live with dignity.
We are gathering the day-after Mother’s Day to right historic wrongs. Minnesota lawmakers and employers have a long history of undervaluing care work, which is primarily done by women. We are holding community leaders accountable for bad choices they have made in the past that have hurt children, elders and caregivers. Community leaders to move forward by partnering with us to put forth bold solutions for our families.
There is not a family in St. Cloud that can go without care. Join us!
Join us at our storytelling training to learn how to powerfully practice speaking with reporters, posting online, and writing about why you are deeply invested in this movement!
Food provided!
Contact: Shawnu Ksicinski, Duluth Program Manager, 218-590-3408
MEDIA ADVISORY
Duluth Earned Sick and Safe Time Community Listening Session (TODAY)
The Duluth City Council will hear feedback from the community on the city’s ESST proposal
WHAT: ESST listening session w/ the Duluth City Council
WHERE: Duluth City Hall, 411 W 1st St, Duluth, MN 55802
WHEN: TODAY, Monday, February 26th, 2018 from 5:30-7:00 p.m.
WHO: Community members part of Duluth’s Earned Sick and Safe Time Coalition
BACKGROUND: The Duluth City Council is working to adopt a sensible paid sick time policy. This will ensure that workers are granted time to take care of themselves or a loved one when they’re sick. Advocates are concerned with pieces of the ESST policy proposal. Members of Duluth’s ESST coalition are urging City Council members to pass recommendations made by Duluth’s ESST Task Force. An overview of the draft ordinance is available here.
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TakeAction Minnesota is a statewide, multi-racial people’s organization. We advance democracy and equity through organizing, political action, and policy campaigns. www.takeactionminnesota.org … Continue reading »
This Ideas Worth Fighting For workshop is designed to be a deeper-dive on issues related to our state’s care systems, in particular, our health care, long-term care, and paid leave systems. Its aim is to be a first step in developing solutions that match the scale of the challenges we face, that take on racism, gender oppression, & corporate power. The format is interactive & relational. It’s designed to be exploratory, engaging, & creative, while still being knowledge-based, political, and pragmatic. Inspiring & grounded: that’s the goal. The agenda is designed to level-set between new & returning attendees. 6:00-6:30 will be an orientation for first time attendees. 6:30-7:00 will be an issue orientation. 7:00-8:30 will be workshopping time. 8:30-9:00 will be unstructured social time. Pre-readings will be emailed to registered attendees.
Too many of us have experienced politics as hostile, inaccessible, dirty, or confusing. As we work together to dismantle corporate power, gender oppression, and structural racism, we will work close to home.
Caucuses are local meetings in every district in Minnesota that kicks off and holds up our party political system. Join with other TakeAction activists and leaders from across the state to fight for the state our families and communities need to live lives of joy. We’ll cover the details of what happens at a caucus and how to show up powerfully, as well as ways to create new opportunities to take power for our communities.
Throughout 2017, TakeAction Minnesota members have organized to defend Medicaid by collecting and sharing stories, mobilizing Minnesotans to vociferously oppose bills that would harm Medicaid.
In late November, U.S. House republicans passed their tax reform bill, and yesterday, the Senate passed their version of the bill out of committee on a party line vote. The president and congressional republicans have said they hope that they will have a bill signed by Christmas.
My guiding principal is: “We all do better when we all do better,” and I believe that a government by and for the people helps us get there. I know I believe that health care for all, affordable higher education and a level playing field so that we all have the best possible chance to succeed. I also know that the money for programs that help advance those goals doesn’t come out of thin air.
So we ask ourselves: What are some of the things the GOP tax bill does, what does it tell us about their priorities, and what does this bill tell us about who congressional republicans feel they represent?
What are some of the things that the GOP tax bill does?
Permanently cuts the corporate tax rate by 15%.
Eliminates the estate tax by 2024 (costing $200 billion over 10 years), giving a massive tax-break to the wealthiest 0.2%.
Makes it harder for immigrants to file for certain tax credits, including the ones that benefit their American- born children.
“Minnesota’s biggest public health insurance program will take on a new shape after next year, when about 500,000 enrollees will be encouraged to develop a close relationship with a primary care clinic, while doctors, clinics and HMOs will be held more accountable for patient care outcomes.
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“In general there is a lot to like here and a lot to build on,” said David Zaffrann, health care program manager at TakeAction Minnesota. “Folks are much more likely to have a preference for their doctor or clinic based on where they live or based on past experience than they are to have a strong preference between big HMOs,” he said.” Read more… Continue reading »
TakeAction MN will host a free, open-to-the-public screening of the new documentary, followed by a discussion. The screening is sponsored by Caring Across Generations, a national campaign to transform care so that everyone can live and age with dignity.
“Although we’d rather not think about it, we’re all aging. And if we’re lucky enough to love a long life, most of us will need help. 90% of Americans want to age at home, but who will provide the care we’ll need?
CARE pulls back the curtain on the largely unseen world of home elder care. With a verité eye, it follows the stories of care workers and their clients. We meet undocumented Vilma, who lovingly cares for 93-year old Dee—long an independent businesswoman, who lives 3,000 miles away from her closest family. We go to work with Laurie, mother of 5, who tends to wheelchair-bound Larry in a tiny rural town. We meet Toni whose husband, a CBS executive, suffers from severe Parkinson’s disease. “Peter would die in a nursing home,” Toni says, but keeping him home requires 24/7 help.
CARE depicts the beauty and social importance of home-based care. It also reveals a broken system., where workers make poverty wages and families struggle to pay for the care they need.… Continue reading »
Need health insurance? Sign up by January 13, 2019.
MNsure is open for enrollment for 2019! You can sign up for Medicaid (Medical Assistance), MinnesotaCare, or a private health insurance plan.
Not sure what you can afford or what you qualify for?
Use this chart to find out if you will qualify for Medicaid, MinnesotaCare, or Affordable Care Act tax credits:
Get help from a Navigator. Navigators are trained experts at local community organizations who can help you enroll in health insurance coverage for FREE.
Spread the word that MNsure is open for business!
Thousands of Minnesotans still don’t have health insurance coverage, and no one can reach them better than the people they already know and trust. That’s why we need YOU to spread the word.
Share your story — in your own words — of getting covered via Facebook, Twitter, or email and make sure your friends and family know about MNsure and where to get help enrolling.
If you have questions or want to get involved, please contact evelyn@takeactionminnesota.org. … Continue reading »
Outraged Minnesotans demand that Medica returns public-interest assets back to its nonprofit company
(Minnetonka)—Today, dozens of TakeAction Minnesota members protested Medica, after the HMO funneled $120 million out of their nonprofit company to other operations. The controversial move by Medica drew outrage and attention from Minnesotans, including faith leaders and health care professionals. The money can now go to Medica’s for-profit companies, even though the assets belong to the public’s interest.
“If elected officials don’t check corporate power, then who will? That is the job of our public leaders,” said David Zaffrann, health care manager at TakeAction Minnesota. “Today, we’re telling Medica to return the assets that belong in the interest of Minnesotans. But what we need is elected officials who will take the reins. Medica’s move may have been legal, but it’s not right.”
The move generated pushback from Governor Dayton, Attorney General Lori Swanson, and Representative Erin Murphy, among others. Loopholes passed by Minnesota’s Republican Legislature made the transfer legal.
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TakeAction Minnesota is a statewide, multi-racial people’s organization. We advance democracy and equity through organizing, political action, and policy campaigns.
Join us on Thursday to hold Medica accountable for their transfer of $120 million to for-profit subsidiaries. It’s our money – they need to pay us back!
Meet us to carpool at 10:15am at TakeAction MN, 705 Raymond Ave, Saint Paul or meet us at 11:00am at Cheshire Park.… Continue reading »
Saint Paul, MN — Throughout 2017, TakeAction Minnesota has lifted up the voices of Minnesotans who rely on Medicaid for health care and long term care to defend the program from devastating cuts and promote critical innovations, through a Consumer Voices for Innovation grant from the Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation (the Center), an initiative of Community Catalyst.
“We all need to be able to go to the doctor, not just when we get sick but also to make sure we stay healthy,” said David Zaffrann, Health Care Program Director at TakeAction Minnesota. “Medicaid is a critical source of coverage for health care and long term care in our state, and we still have room for improvement when it comes to the delivery of that care in a holistic way.”
Minnesota has a long history of innovations in our public health care programs that center the needs and experiences of patients by encouraging care coordination. From the state’s groundbreaking Senior Health Options program to the current development of Integrated Health Partnerships, Minnesota’s Medicaid reforms have saved money while maintaining high quality care.
“The way health care is delivered is changing – fast. And the people who have the most at stake, the consumers, are often not at the table when important decisions about the care they receive are made,” said Ann Hwang, MD, Director of the Center. “A… Continue reading »
While Trump sabotages the ACA, Medica’s for-profit company benefits from chaos
(St. Paul)—On Thursday, the Star Tribune revealed that Medica has funneled $120 million in public-interest assets from its nonprofit entity to for-profit companies. The news set off a firestorm of anger, as health care problems mount in Minnesota.
This week, it became clear that Minnesota needs to brace itself for losing $369 million in federal funding for MinnesotaCare. The cuts came because of reinsurance: a no strings attached bailout for insurance companies—including Medica—passed by Republicans in the Legislature this year.
“Minnesota has lost its compass. In what other industry would we let this happen?” said Dan McGrath, executive director of TakeAction Minnesota. “President Trump is sabotaging the Affordable Care Act. Frankly, Medica is taking advantage of the chaos. Where are the elected officials saying we’ve had enough?”
Medica was able to funnel the money because of a new state law passed by Republicans and industry insiders this year.
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TakeAction Minnesota is a statewide, multi-racial people’s organization. We advance democracy and equity through organizing, political action, and policy campaigns.
Reinsurance is a raw deal, as feds slash MinnesotaCare funding
St. Paul—Health insurance rates came out this week despite uncertainty surrounding the state’s “reinsurance” program. Just weeks before Minnesotans sign up for health insurance, the Trump Administration announced that federal approval for reinsurance would slash $369 million for MinnesotaCare. This would result in a net loss of federal funding for the state.
TakeAction Minnesota joins Governor Dayton in calling on the Trump Administration to keep their promise to fund MinnesotaCare in conjunction with the new reinsurance program, and urge him to reject any deal that would decrease federal health care funding to the state.
“The Affordable Care Act is the law, but Republicans are doing everything they can to weaken it,” said Dan McGrath, executive director at TakeAction Minnesota. “We all need and deserve affordable health care. We won’t let the Trump Administration divide Minnesotans by forcing a false choice.”
The state’s Health Care Access Fund is already running dry. If a reinsurance deal is signed as is, it will further threaten the stability of Minnesota’s public health care programs for low-income residents.
“The Trump administration is offering a raw deal. In exchange for cheaper premiums for some Minnesotans, others will lose health care entirely. … Continue reading »
You know the problems – let’s talk about solutions The St. Croix Valley Women’s Alliance and League of Women Voters White Bear Lake Area have formed a partnership for a forum: A Healthcare Conversation: Minnesota Style. The free event will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Stillwater Middle School Auditorium located at 523 Marsh St., Stillwater, Minnesota, on October 9, 2017. The healthcare forum will be moderated by the League of Women Voters White Bear Lake Area. The public is invited to bring their questions to be addressed by a panel of local, state and national leaders. The expert panel will ensure a lively, informative nonpartisan dialogue with our community. Panel members will include:
Andy Slavitt, former Acting Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 2015-2017
John Marty, Minnesota State Senator (DFL) since 1987, author of Healing Health Care: the Case for a Commonsense Universal Health System.
Matthew Eastwood, PhD, MPA, LMFT, Chief Executive Officer of Canvas Health
Kathleen Picard, PT, Health Policy and Practice Consultant, Policy Advisor, American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
Jim Abeler, Minnesota State Senator (R) since 2014, Doctor of Chiropractic
Join us for training about how we can defend Medicaid through powerful stories of our experiences with health care. Learn more about Minnesota’s Medicaid program (Medical Assistance) and what has made it so strong and successful — and how to share your story to defend this critical public health care program.
Medicaid provides long term care and health care support for over 1.2 Million Minnesotans, including 100,424 people in MN Congressional District 2. Family caregivers, care workers, people with disabilities, and seniors will not be silenced by Jason Lewis who has refused to hear our stories. Our numbers of supporters are growing as we continue to protect a lifeline for longterm, dignified care: Medicaid. Register Here!
Detailed Schedule
3:15pm: Meet at the Burnsville Transit Center (100 East Highway 13, Burnsville, MN 55337) to ride bus and carpool to the march start (bus will depart no later than 3:30pm)
4:00pm: Our March will begin in front of the SuperAmerica at Hwy77/Cliff Road (2250 Cliff Road, Burnsville, 55122). The bus will drop off here. There will be an option for participants to be dropped off directly at Jason Lewis’s office if they do not wish to take part in the march. Marchers who want to drive themselves directly to the march start rather than meet at Burnsville Transit Center are welcome to do so.
4:30pm: Marchers will join the gathering at Jason Lewis’s office (2805 Cliff Rd E, Burnsville, MN 55337) with songs and speeches and invite him to hear our stories. The march will be about .7 miles total.… Continue reading »
A group of about 20 protesters showed up at U.S. Rep. Jason Lewis’ (R) house in Woodbury on Wednesday. They coursed up his driveway bearing signs, crowded around his front step, and chanted about healthcare loudly enough for his neighbors to hear. Lewis had supported the Republican health care bill, which included deep cuts to Medicaid.
Lewis wasn’t at home, but when he heard about the “invasion” later, he was incensed, calling the protest a “wanton disregard of civility,” and a “dangerous ramping up of rhetoric that already has one of my House colleagues in rehab from a vicious attack.”
Lewis’ office didn’t respond to our calls, but the congressman appears to be refering to U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), who is in rehabilitation after a Bernie Sanders supporter shot him during practice for the Congressional Baseball Game in June.
A video of the protest accompanied Lewis’ post as evidence, though instead of threatening mobsters, protesters are elderly ladies, a senior gentleman in a wheelchair, homecare workers, and a handful of young activists with TakeAction Minnesota. The group led a set of chants for a few minutes, before reading aloud from a letter, which was then propped against Lewis’ door.
Their “dangerous” rhetoric included a short speech by senior citizen Debra Francis: “My PCA would have to juggle even more work to keep up with the cost of living.… Continue reading »
Response to Rep. Lewis after seniors, caregivers, and individuals living with disabilities delivered a letter about Medicaid cuts to his house
(St. Paul)—TakeAction Minnesota released the following statement, after Rep. Lewis responded to constituents who delivered a letter about Medicaid cuts to his door during August recess:
“For months, constituents have asked for a town hall. They are worried about dangerous Medicaid cuts that will be debated as soon as Congress returns from recess. Seniors, people living with disabilities, and caregivers in Rep. Lewis’s district have stories to share with him. His constituents would rather have a conversation at a town hall, than deliver a letter to his door.”
TakeAction Minnesota is a statewide, multi-racial people’s organization. We advance democracy and equity through organizing, political action, and policy campaigns.
