Accessibility menu
State Representative Thomas Huntley
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-2228
For more information contact: Jessica Nyman 651-296-8877
Press/News Releases
Irresponsible Cuts in HHS Bill Increase Burden on Seniors, Disabled
Saint Paul, Minnesota—In the dead of night, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed the Health and Human Services omnibus bill, SF 760, outlining $1.65 billion in cuts. A cut this deep comes at the cost of ensuring programs and services that seniors and the disabled count on to maintain their health and independence, while protecting them for health care bankruptcy. Additionally, the bill relies on funds that will likely never materialize, resulting in severe cuts to nursing homes, hospitals, and other providers. These cuts will equal the elimination of over 20,000 private sector jobs across the state.
State Representative Tom Huntley, DFL lead on the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee, reacted to passage of SF 760, the Health and Human Services Omnibus bill:
“This is an outrageously irresponsible way to balance the budget. Relying on three quarters of a billion dollars in savings that we will likely never see, is reckless and immoral when the stakes are this high for our most vulnerable populations. These are real cuts, affecting real people.
As a state we have made incredible strides in health care reform. This bill dismantles those bipartisan reforms and moves Minnesota back to square one. Additionally, growth of our health care industries has played an integral part in our economic recovery, creating jobs at a time when they are fleeting. Due to the reluctance of the GOP to make responsible decisions, we will see the elimination of over 20,000 private sector health care jobs.
Instead of making difficult decisions, the GOP passed the buck. Instead of protecting our seniors and disabled, the GOP asked them to bear the burden. Instead of easing the financial strain on the middle class, the GOP increased insurance premiums. Instead of providing care to all Minnesotans, the GOP added another 105,000 Minnesotans to the list of uninsured.
With the rising cost of health care, we all recognize tough decisions need to be made. But Minnesotans count on us to deliver a Health and Human Services budget that ensures essential quality care, at an affordable price. This bill does neither."
News Items
- House makes $150 million reduction in HHS budget, while protecting most vulnerable - (Posted: Apr 9 2013 10:18AM)
- State House of Representatives passes Medicaid expansion legislation - (Posted: Feb 12 2013 3:31PM)
- State Rep. Thomas Huntley co-authors bill establishing a health insurance exchange - (Posted: Jan 25 2013 2:46PM)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.