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State Representative Sandra Masin
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-3533
For more information contact: Matt Swenson 651-297-8406
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FAIRVIEW RIDGES HOSPITAL WOULD LOSE $15.9 MILLION UNDER GOVERNOR’S BUDGET
ST. PAUL, MN - Dozens of hospital administrators from across Minnesota descended on the State Capitol today to fight for adequate state funding in the face of the state’s worst ever budget crisis. Potential budget cuts under Governor Tim Pawlenty’s health care proposals would eliminate $764 million in state funding for hospitals over the next two years. Those cuts would be devastating to hospitals and Minnesota communities - eliminating critical care options for patients, shedding thousands of jobs, and potentially forcing some Minnesota hospitals to close.
“If the governor’s budget passes, his cuts to hospitals will never heal," said State Rep. Tom Huntley who chairs the House Health Care and Human Services Finance Division. “Jobs and services lost to those cuts will never come back. Hospitals in Burnsville and across the state would be severely damaged, unable to recover.”
The governor’s budget plan hits close to home. Should the plan become law, Fairview Ridges Hospital would lose $15.9 million in state funding over the next two years, amounting to 9.5 percent of its gross revenue.
“Fairview Ridges Hospital employs more than 1,400 people and serves hundreds of thousands of patients every year,” said State Rep. Will Morgan (DFL - Burnsville). “The hospital and this community can’t afford these devastating budget cuts. If these cuts go through that means significant losses in jobs and care services. We need to do better, protect jobs in our community, and fulfill our responsibility to provide adequate, quality care for all citizens of Burnsville and the surrounding suburbs.”
Under a budget plan offered by House DFLers, Minnesota hospitals would face significantly lower cuts, totaling just $76 million - $688 million less than what Governor Pawlenty has proposed. Losses to Fairview Ridges Hospital would shrink to only $439 thousand or 0.3 percent of the hospital’s gross revenue.
“The reality is we’re facing the worst economic and budget crises Minnesota has seen in decades,” said State Rep. Sandra Masin (DFL - Eagan). “But we can’t sacrifice our hospitals to foot the bill for the budget shortfall. We need to make careful, responsible cuts in a budget plan that keeps our hospitals whole. The House has a plan that will do so, and our hospitals and communities are counting on the legislature and the governor to make certain it passes.”
The 2009 Legislative Session is scheduled to adjourn May 18. Until then, Reps. Huntley, Morgan, and Masin encourage all citizens of Burnsville and the surrounding area to call Governor Pawlenty and tell him to support the House proposal as a more responsible way to balance the budget. Governor Tim Pawlenty can be reached by phone at (800) 657-3717 or by email at tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us.
News Items
- Rep. Sandra Masin Sworn-In as Legislative Session Begins - (Posted: Jan 8 2013 3:10PM)
- Representative Sandra Masin: Special Session Delivers Flood-Relief - (Posted: 2010-10-18 00:00:00)
- EAGAN TRIBUTE & MEMORIAL DEDICATION State Representative Sandra Masin invites area residents to unveiling ceremony - (Posted: 2010-10-06 00:00:00)
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