TakeAction Minnesota Statement on Health Care Finance Task Force Recommendations

For Immediate Release — January 15, 2016
Contact:  Greta Bergstrom, 651.336.6722, greta@takeactionminnesota.org

MNCare Restoration to 275%, Repeal of Provider Tax Sunset, Undocumented Coverage Extension Critical Advances for Minnesota Families

St. Paul, MN – TakeAction Minnesota’s Associate Director, Liz Doyle, released the following statement in response to today’s passage of final recommendations from the Health Care Finance Task Force:

“Today the Health Care Financing Task Force was able to make significant advances for Minnesota health care consumers in the recommendations put forward, making good on its mission to improve health care affordability and access for more Minnesotans. TakeAction Minnesota was proud to have served in this capacity. The recommendation, if passed by the legislature, builds on what is already working in our state by extending health care coverage to a larger number of Minnesotans.

“Minnesotans continue to be asked to pay more and more for less and less health care coverage, with too many being left in the lurch with private plan deductibles and premiums they have no ability to pay for. By restoring MinnesotaCare to its previous 275% level, and repealing the sunset on the provider tax which helps to fund this successful program, more low-income working adults will be able to afford the care they need, without fear of coverage gaps. And by extending health coverage to undocumented individuals living and working in our communities, Minnesota has the opportunity to build an important foundation toward the ultimate goal of ensuring a universal coverage system for all people in our state.”

### #

TakeAction Minnesota is a statewide people’s network of individual and organizational members working together to motivate people to act publicly in order to advance economic and racial equity in our state. The organization has offices in St. Paul, Duluth and Grand Rapids.