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State Representative Tom Anzelc
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4936
For more information contact: Michael Howard 651-296-8873
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ANZELC VOTES TO SAVE NORTHERN MINNESOTA HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES
ST. PAUL – The Minnesota House of Representatives passed a Health Care and Human Services bill by a vote of 85 to 49 on Monday that will make strategic cuts in health and human services, but preserve key funding for rural hospitals and nursing homes that would be severely cut if the Governor’s budget were to become law. Anzelc, the only member from Northern Minnesota on the Health Care and Human Services committee, said he voted for the bill in order to save rural hospitals and nursing homes.
“The fact is the Governor’s health care budget cuts hospitals and nursing homes so heavily that we would see several in northern and rural Minnesota close for good," said Anzelc. “I voted for this health care bill because a budget deficit isn’t a reason to shut down the rural hospitals and care providers who perform the lifesaving work our family, friends and neighbors all depend on.”
In total, the Governor’s health care budget would cost Minnesota hospitals $764 million over the next two years while the House plan cuts only $76 million. Falls Memorial Hospital in International Falls, LakeWood Health Center in Baudette, and Bigfork Valley Hospital would be cut $5 million over the next two years by the Governor’s plan while the House plan would cut about $100,000. Along with job losses in the hundreds, Anzelc said the wide difference between the Governor and House hospital cuts could mean the difference between life and death for rural Minnesotans.
“If a hospital in my District closes, a person having a heart attack or a pregnant woman about to give birth might have to travel 60 miles longer to receive the care they need,” said Anzelc. “In an emergency situation, 60 miles is the difference between saving a life and losing a life.”
The Health and Human services bill contains many provisions that will make health care coverage affordable to more Minnesotans. It maximizes the $1.8 billion in federal stimulus dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and positions Minnesota to receive millions more federal dollars for children’s health coverage under the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA). However, facing a record budget shortfall, deep cuts were included in the budget, some of which Anzelc disapproved.
“There are cuts in this bill that I can accept and some that I disapprove. As a former Department of Human Services Assistant Commissioner in the Perpich Administration, it has been particularly troubling to see the erosion of the care and services we provide to Minnesota’s most vulnerable citizens and I am concerned this bill will cause too much harm to disabled Minnesotans,” said Anzelc. “But at the end of the day, I am voting for this bill in order to save the rural hospitals and the care providers who perform lifesaving work for our family, friends and neighbors. We cannot allow the Governor’s cuts to hospitals become law, it will be a death sentence to rural hospitals and rural health care.”
The House health care bill will now be debated in a conference committee to work out differences with the Senate health care bill, which also passed the Legislature today.
The specific cuts to hospitals included in the Governor budget and House Health Care budget are listed below.
Governor’s Proposed Cuts to Area Hospitals:
• $2.7 million in cuts for Falls Memorial Hospital, International Falls (18 percent of gross revenue)
• $1.3 million in cuts for LakeWood Health Center, Baudette (15.3 percent of gross revenue)
• $611 thousand in cuts for Bigfork Valley Hospital (5.2 percent of gross revenue)
House of Representatives Proposed Cuts to Area Hospitals:
• $67 thousand in cuts for Falls Memorial Hospital, International Falls (0.4 percent of gross revenue)
• $40 thousand in cuts for LakeWood Health Center, Baudette (0.5 percent of gross revenue)
• $16 thousand in cuts for Bigfork Valley Hospital (0.1 percent of gross revenue)
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News Items
- STATE REPRESENTATIVE TOM ANZELC APPOINTED VICE-CHAIR OF HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE - (Posted: Dec 21 2012 12:00AM)
- Rep. Tom Anzelc participates in Governor Dayton’s “Working for Minnesota Jobs” discussion with Essar Steel and Magnetation - (Posted: 2012-10-03 00:00:00)
- REP. ANZELC: DISASTER RELIEF PACKAGE PROVIDES DESPERATELY NEEDED STATE AID - (Posted: 2012-08-24 00:00:00)
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