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Health Policy and Finance

FORTY-FIRST MEETING

2005-2006 Regular Session - Tuesday, April 12, 2005

STATE OF MINNESOTA FORTY-FIRST MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FOURTH SESSION

HEALTH POLICY & FINANCE COMMITTEE

MINUTES


Representative Fran Bradley, Chair of the Health Policy and Finance Committee, called the forty-first meeting to order at 10:17 a.m. April 12, 2005 in Room 10 of the State Office Building.

The Clerk noted the roll.

Members present:



BRADLEY, Fran, Chair OTREMBA, Mary Ellen
FINSTAD, Brad, Vice Chair PEPPIN, Joyce
ABELER, Jim POWELL, Duke
DEAN, Matt THISSEN, Paul
EMMER, Tom SAMUELSON, Char
EKEN, Kent THAO, Cy
GOODWIN, Barb WALKER, Neva
HUNTLEY, Tom WILKIN, Tim



A quorum was present.

The Chair called for members to present their ideas and recommendations for items to be included in the Health Finance Omnibus Bill.

Proposals presented by Republican Committee members:

Rep. Bradley: Rate increases to ICF/MRs, group homes, etc.

Rep. Powell: Prohibit payment for non-emergency hospital visits under Medical Assistance
Document RC62

Rep. Peppin: Premium increase for adults and children where income is less than 150% FPG
Document 05-3981

Rep. Emmer: Changes in MinnesotaCare eligibility determination, i.e., verifying income,
requiring reporting of income changes, premium surcharge with dollars
accumulating
HF 2394

Rep. Bradley: Seek federal waiver to require Medical Assistance sliding scale premiums
Document 05-3964

Rep. Powell: Eliminate coverage of gender reassignment surgery under state health care
programs
HF 2388

Rep. Abeler: Eliminate M/A coverage for unnecessary circumcisions
HF 2390

DFL members of the committee submitted a number of proposals for inclusion in the omnibus bill. (See attached document entitled, "DFL Health Committee Budget Items for Discussion."

Proposals presented by DFL Committee members:

Rep. Huntley: Reverse cuts to MinnesotaCare

Rep. Thissen: Mental illness medication access and suicide prevention activities expansion
No. (7) on DFL Discussion Sheet.

Rep. Thissen: Employment information disclosure on MinnesotaCare application to determine
employee eligibility for insurance coverage

Rep. Huntley: Maternity coverage elimination shifts women to Medical Assistance

Rep. Eken: Suggested the DFL proposals result in long-term cuts and asked for a broader
Definition of savings

Rep. Otremba: Reversal of retroactivity for liens on life estates due to Court ruling them
unconstitutional, thereby eliminating associated court costs

After further discussion, Chairman Bradley announced the Health Finance Omnibus Bill should be ready early next week.

The next meeting will be held at the Call of the Chair.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 noon.

______________________________________
Rep. Fran Bradley, Chairman


______________________________________
Cheryl Burke, Committee Legislative Assistant