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Health Care

The ability to afford health care shouldn't depend on someone's paycheck or address. Our state has a history of investing in health care, healthy communities, and the well-being of Minnesotans. That's paid off in strong rates of health care coverage. But there's more to do, including dismantling barriers to living healthy lives that many people of color and people in rural areas face.

Our health care work focuses on the effects of state and federal health care policies on Minnesotans' ability to live healthy lives and get the care they need to thrive.

Research

May 2005

Congressional budget resolution increases deficit, cuts services for low-income Minnesotans, and cuts taxes for the wealthy

March 2005

Low-income Minnesotans could lose big in federal budget

Each year, Congress is required by law to develop a “budget resolution” which sets limitations on spending and on tax cu...

February 2005

Federal budget decisions would have serious consequences for Minnesotans and the state's fiscal health

June 2004

"Do-Nothing" session mixed blessing for health and human services

Health Care Blog Posts

May 29, 2024

In 2024 session, policymakers progress toward improving health care and child care

While 2024 was not a budget-setting year for the state, policymakers made use of the limited resources they had to build on last year’s transformational investments and took steps to set the state up for a brighter future. This year, child care affordability and affordable health care accessibility continued to rise to the top as a priority for many Minnesotans. This blog takes a look at the policy and budget decisions made this year to make affordable health care and child care available to more Minnesotans.

May 14, 2024

Decisions in session’s final days should strengthen health care and child care for Minnesotans

In 2023, policymakers made transformational budget investments for the well-being of Minnesotans and their families....

July 20, 2023

Medicaid renewal deadline for first group extended to August 1

The state’s Department of Human Services has launched outreach efforts to reach the Minnesotans who need to renew their Medicaid coverage, but community organizations can help share information and resources about Medicaid coverage renewals to make sure our Minnesota neighbors continue to get the health care they and their families count on

May 11, 2023

House-Senate conference committee considering investments to expand affordable health care

While the Health and Human Services conference committee is hashing out the specifics, we can likely say the final budget will make important investments that secure expanded access to health care and ensure a better, healthier future for many.

Our Health Care Policy Work

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Preserving critical health care funding

Keeping Minnesota’s health care provider tax in place is a key to a healthy Minnesota. The Minnesota Budget Project worked hard alongside others to preserve this critical source of funding by repealing the scheduled sunset of the provider tax during the 2019 Legislative Session. The health care provider tax was permanently extended as part of the budget agreement reached by Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Legislature. However, the provider tax rate was reduced from 2 percent to 1.8 percent.

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Issues