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State Representative Kathy Brynaert
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-3248
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
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ISJ JOINS THE FIGHT FOR ADEQUATE STATE FUNDING
ST. PAUL, MN – Hospital administrators from across Minnesota came to the State Capitol today to fight for adequate funding in the face of the state’s worst ever budget crisis. The most devastating of the proposed budget cuts would eliminate $764 million in state funding for hospitals over the next two years. These cuts have the potential to eliminate critical care options for patients, result in the loss of thousands of jobs, and potentially force some Minnesota hospitals to close.
Dr. Greg Kutcher and Jerry Crest from Immanuel St. Joseph’s in Mankato attended the event. If the Governor’s budget is enacted, cuts to ISJ would total nearly $10 million, as reported in today’s Mankato Free Press.
State Representatives Kathy Brynaert and Terry Morrow were also at the legislative briefing, and met with Dr. Kutcher and Mr. Crest following the event.
“I believe hospitals understand there will likely be cuts to their state funding because of the historic deficit we are facing," said Brynaert.”However, because health care has been targeted for budget cuts many times over recent years, they do not have the cushion necessary to withstand cuts of this magnitude.”
There are currently three budget plans on the table – the House, Senate and the Governor’s. All three include cuts to health care; the House cuts the least, the Governor the most, and the Senate falls in the middle.
“When people living in the Mankato area get sick or are injured, they trust that they can go to Immanuel St. Joseph for responsive, thorough, and excellent care,” said Morrow. “If the governor’s budget passes, his cuts to hospitals will never heal. Patient services will be reduced. Jobs and services lost to those cuts will never come back. I am listening carefully to the doctors, nurses, and other experts, who tell me that we have to think long and hard before we make cuts of this degree for a short term budget solution.”
Under the budget plan offered by House of Representatives, Minnesota hospitals would face significantly lower cuts, totaling just $76 million – $688 million less than what Governor Pawlenty has proposed. Losses to ISJ would shrink to under $172,000, not the nearly $10 million the Governor is proposing.
“Representative Brynaert and I invite Governor Pawlenty to come to Mankato and join us in a discussion with ISJ about the deep impact of these proposals and about better solutions,” said Morrow. “Minnesota faces a record $6.4 billion budget shortfall. Everyone will share in the solution. But we can’t sacrifice the critical services our hospitals, doctors, and nurses provide to families and individuals. Our priorities must offer more protection of Minnesota’s world-known health care system.”
“This recession will end, and when it does, we want hospitals like ISJ to still be here, serving the health care needs of our community and providing important jobs,” said Brynaert.
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