Legislative Update May 8, 2015 (Page 61)

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Legislative Update May 8, 2015

Biennial Budget

Ten days to go in this Legislative Session, but lawmakers aren’t much closer on a budget deal than last week. Despite the $1.9 billion surplus, the GOP-led House still wants a tax bill with big cuts for state programs for Minnesota citizens. Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) said he’s still pushing for $1.1 billion in Health and Human Services cuts.  Big businesses would see their taxes lowered under the GOP plan and even enjoy an end to property taxes.

Working families will have to pay more if the final budget slashes $563 million, as proposed, with the elimination of MinnesotaCare.  Other savings come from shifts and gimmicks. The GOP budget would delay managed care payments by a month to save $135 million and save a claimed $300 million by eliminating ineligible enrollees and working to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse from public programs. The nonpartisan budget staff reported that this figure is not accurate and even in the best case would save only $16 million by catching fraud.  Meanwhile, the DFL-led Senate is holding to its $341 million increase for Health and Human Services, and the Governor still hopes to increase funds for schools to include all-day pre-school statewide.

The Conference Committee began meeting on Tuesday and continued throughout the week with little progress.  Legislators won’t take much action until their leadership gives them more direction on how much money they need to spend or cut. These new budget targets could come Monday. Legislative leaders, Governor Dayton, Majority Leader Tom Bakk, and Speaker Kurt Daudt plan on fishing together for Walleye Fishing Opener on Saturday. Let’s hope they can “net” a compromise that delivers quality healthcare for all Minnesotans.

MinnesotaCare

This is the insurance program for about 90,000 Minnesotans who make too much money for Medicaid but not enough to buy insurance through an exchange (approximately 134-200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level or about $40,000 for a family of four). GOP lawmakers have placed it on the chopping block because the funding mechanism, the Provider Tax, is set to go away in 2018.  The Legislature, however, has the ability to extend those funds to protect Minnesota’s working class. If they don’t, these recipients will end up transferred to MNsure or another exchange where they’ll have to pay 200-300 percent more for coverage that could pay only 70 percent of their medical costs. As a result, many people who have jobs will end up skipping needed preventive care.  Nurses know patients are coming to hospitals sicker and sicker because the costs of healthcare create barriers to being healthy.
Please let your legislators know nurses care for their patients, and MinnesotaCare allows 90,000 working class families to receive quality care.

Send a letter to legislators through this link.

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Nurses Week

Governor Mark Dayton issued a formal proclamation making May 6-12, 2015 Nurses Week in Minnesota.  Legislators in the Minnesota House and Senate issued proclamations in their respective bodies to honor nurses.  Lawmakers also took a moment to stand and applaud nurses visiting the Capitol to honor the vital jobs they perform every day.  Senator John Hoffman (DFL-Champlin) also brought nurses onto the floor after session.

Wednesdays at the Capitol

This week, nurses from MNA’s Governmental Affairs Commission took a trip to the Capitol to talk with legislators. Much like previous weeks, the nurses were well received by their senators and representatives as they shared personal stories about incidents of workplace violence, unsafe staffing and hardships they see facing their patients.  Every Wednesday, small groups of nurses visit the Capitol to meet with legislators about our priority bills. All MNA members are welcome and encouraged.

Nurses in attendance will meet at the MNA office in the morning for a briefing and quick training on how to talk to legislators.  They then carpool to the Capitol to talk to elected officials about the need for Safe Patient Standard and Workplace Violence Prevention legislation.  At around 1 p.m., the group returns to the MNA office for lunch and a debrief of the day.  Please contact Geri Katz geri.katz@mnnurses.org or Eileen Gavin eileen.gavin@mnnurses.org for more information or to sign up.

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In: Minnesota Nurses Association

Legupdateheader3

 

Legislative Update May 8, 2015

Biennial Budget

Ten days to go in this Legislative Session, but lawmakers aren’t much closer on a budget deal than last week. Despite the $1.9 billion surplus, the GOP-led House still wants a tax bill with big cuts for state programs for Minnesota citizens. Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) said he’s still pushing for $1.1 billion in Health and Human Services cuts.  Big businesses would see their taxes lowered under the GOP plan and even enjoy an end to property taxes.

Working families will have to pay more if the final budget slashes $563 million, as proposed, with the elimination of MinnesotaCare. 
… Read more about: Legislative Update May 8, 2015  »

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In: Healthcare, Insurance

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By Mathew Keller, RN JD, MNA Nurse Policy Specialist

When cuts are made to public insurance programs, we all end up paying more.  Just the other day I heard the story of Mary*, a young woman who found some unusual lumps in her breast.  Having already had her preventive care exam for the year, she could not afford the high cost of following up with her physician.  When she was finally able to get her next annual exam, Mary got the heartwrenching news that she had Stage 4 breast cancer.

MinnesotaCare, a public health insurance program for the working poor, is under threat from state legislators in the House of Representatives.
… Read more about: Minnesota nurses oppose MNCare repeal  »

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In: Legislative Policy, Nurses, Politics, Standards of Care

Legislative Update May 1, 2015

House HHS Omnibus Bill
Tuesday night, the House passed its Health and Human Services omnibus bill (HF 1638). The bill includes many of MNA’s issues in various forms:

MinnesotaCare is dropped all together. This is the insurance program for about 90,000 Minnesotans who make too much money for Medicaid but not enough to buy insurance through an exchange (approximately 134-200% of the Federal Poverty Level or about $40,000 for a family of four). Another bill, HF 848, includes tax credits for those dropped from MinnesotaCare to get coverage through the private market or MNsure.  Unfortunately, the proposed credits aren’t nearly enough to provide an equal level of care. 
… Read more about: (Untitled)  »

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In: Legislative Policy, Nurses, Politics

Legislative Update April 24, 2015

 

Biennenial Budget

With less than a month to go in the 2015 Legislative Session, there’s little consensus on the next state budget, and healthcare is the biggest argument. Even though the state has a $1.9 billion surplus, the GOP’s proposed budget provides for $2 billion in tax cuts and cuts $1 billion from Health and Human Services.  House Republicans want to slash healthcare so they can give cuts to big business, including eliminating the corporate property tax altogether.

Rep. Matt Dean’s (R-Dellwood) proposal is to drop MinnesotaCare entirely.  MinnesotaCare is the insurance program for about 90,000 Minnesotans who make too much money for Medicaid but not enough to buy insurance through an exchange.  
… Read more about: Legislative Update April 24, 2015  »

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In: Minnesota Nurses Association, Readmissions

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By Carolyn Jorgenson, RN, BSN

As a registered nurse for more than 36 years, I understand first-hand how important it is to reduce unnecessary hospital visits and readmissions. Nurses want nothing more than to take care of their patients and send them back to healthy lives in their own homes. If patients need nursing care in their homes, public health nurses are educated and trained to care for their ongoing medical needs.

Minnesota RNs have concerns about a proposal in the Legislature that could have serious impacts on patients who have just returned home from the hospital and need more care.
… Read more about: Community EMT- for safety or the bottom line?  »

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In: Labor Unions, Legislative Policy, Minnesota Nurses Association, Patient Safety, Politics

By Rose Roach, MNA Executive Director

 

Recently, we’ve seen some lawmakers talking the benefits of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, including President Obama and 6th District US Rep. Tom Emmer. The Delano Republican’s endorsement is interesting, considering he’s never seen the whole of the TPP agreement. No member of Congress has. Only the 600 corporate negotiators know what’s really in it, which doesn’t inspire much confidence. US Rep. Keith Ellison (MN-5th) is one of the several members of Congress who have requested it but still hasn’t gotten it. All we can go on is what actual trade experts think will transpire if TPP becomes law.
… Read more about: TPP: Not a good trade  »

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In: Minnesota Nurses Association, Workplace violence prevention

By Mathew Keller, RN JD, MNA Nurse Policy Specialist

As a result of the assault against staff at St. John’s Hospital last November, the hospital removed bedside poles that could be used as weapons.  While this action may prevent future violence, it’s too late to help the nurses who were attacked that day.

Meanwhile, there’s a bill in the Minnesota Legislature that could lead to better prevention and preparation for healthcare workers caught with a violent patient. HF 1087 and SF 1071 are bipartisan bills aimed at preventing violence against health care workers, require that hospitals:

  • Develop preparedness and incident response action plans in collaboration with health care workers;
  • Provide adequate security staff;
  • Allow healthcare workers to request additional staff due to concerns over possible violence;
  • Provide training to all health care workers on safety guidelines, the incident response plan, how to properly de-escalate situations and request additional staff, and the worker’s rights regarding acts of violence.

    • … Read more about: Proposal protects healthcare workers from workplace violence  »

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In: Bargaining, Minnesota Nurses Association

 

RNs at Sanford Bemidji Clinic ratified their first contract in February after being officially recognized as part of MNA last October.

RNs say they’re happy to have a contract that protects patients and nurses alike.

“We’re excited about having a contract that protects our rights and ensures we’re all treated fairly,” said negotiating team member Christine Sheikholeslami.

“The new contract creates a wage scale, so raises are allocated fairly and consistently,” said member Tina Hawver.

Previously, managers gave raises arbitrarily.

The contract raises wages for all members, creates security in scheduling, and provides all other contract language to the Clinic RNs that hospital employees receive, such as more affordable health insurance and a cap on mandatory low-census days.
… Read more about: Bemidji Clinic RNs say yes to new contract  »

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In: Legislative Policy, Minnesota Nurses Association

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Workplace Violence Prevention bill on the move

The bill to prevent violence against healthcare workers (HF1087-Atkins/SF1071-Wiger) continues to make progress in both the House and Senate, with bipartisan support. The bill will be heard in the Senate Health and Human Services and Housing Committee on Wednesday, March 11 at noon. Please attend if you are able!

What:   Violence Against Health Care Workers Bill hearing
                When:  Wednesday, March 11, noon
                Where: Room 15, Capitol

The high profile incident last year at St. John’s Hospital in Maplewood received lots of press, and along with the introduction of this bill, has raised awareness about the serious problem of violence in the health care setting.
… Read more about: MNA Legislative Update, March 6, 2015  »