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State Representative Rod Hamilton
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-5373
For more information contact: Jason Wenisch 651-296-2317
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
REP. HAMILTON SAYS HEALTH BILL SUPPORTS WRONG PRIORITIES
To the Editor:
Anyone who has a passing interest in rural health care understands that our nursing homes are facing a funding crisis. Minnesota’s $4.5 billion budget deficit four years ago forced lawmakers to make tough decisions, one of which was an attempt to hold nursing home funding flat over a two-year period. This in turn forced our long-term care facilities to make due with what they had.
Today, we are blessed with a $2.2 billion surplus, and have the means to make things right with our nursing homes again. The problem is our new legislative leadership is prioritizing welfare over long-term care.
Recently, the Legislature approved a $10 billion health and human services budget proposal. It increases spending in this area by nearly 22% over the next two years, and by 40% two years after that. It uses your tax dollars to fund organizations that perform abortions. It adds $51 million to welfare programs, and softens current welfare regulations that takes people off of welfare rolls and puts them to work. .
Yet despite the fact that we have a budget surplus and are attempting to spend millions more in the health arena, we are only offering our rural nursing homes a three percent raise.
I attempted to right this wrong several times. I was successful in amending my legislation in our Health committee that would have given our nursing homes up to an additional six percent in funding - in addition to the three percent statewide increase - but it was removed in a different committee. The motion was defeated again when I tried to make it on the House floor. Then I supported a separate amendment that would have given nursing homes a five percent raise over each of the next two years. That was also shot down.
In short, the health bill has questionable priorities. As you are reading this, it is likely that Governor Pawlenty has already vetoed it. I am hopeful that when the Legislature picks up the pieces and creates a new health bill that funding preferences will be shifted from welfare recipients to our nursing homes.
I recognize that there is a funding crisis for our long-term care facilities, and now that we have an extra $2.2 billion to spend, please know that I will continue fighting to give our nursing homes and their employees the raises they deserve.
Sincerely,
State Representative Rod Hamilton
R-Mountain Lake
News Items
- WITH ECONOMIC TURNAROUND, HAMILTON SAYS IT’S TIME TO PAY BACK SCHOOLS - (Posted: 2012-03-16 00:00:00)
- REP. HAMILTON: LEGISLATURE’S 2012 AGENDA BASED ON INFORMATION FROM STATEWIDE LISTENING SESSIONS - (Posted: 2012-01-30 00:00:00)
- REP. HAMILTON DISCUSSES MINNESOTA HOUSE FINANCE PROPOSALS - (Posted: 2011-04-15 00:00:00)
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