Accessibility menu
State Representative Paul Anderson
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4317
For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520
GUEST COLUMN
GAMC negotiations continue
By State Rep. Paul Anderson
Monday’s vote to override the Governor’s veto of the temporary restoration of General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) bill was a difficult one. Some would claim my vote to uphold the governor’s veto was simply a political one. It’s really much more than that.
There were two ways to deal with the GAMC problem, either allow those currently on the program to be auto-enrolled in MinnesotaCare or pass a bill to temporarily restore the program. Neither method was perfect because sustainable funding is shaky during another state budget deficit.
I supported the GAMC fix bill when it first passed the House with an understanding that a conference committee of House and Senate members would work with the Governor to improve it. That did not happen. The Senate re-passed the House version to avoid a conference committee. And, because the bill was unacceptable to the Governor, he vetoed it.
The Governor’'s plan moves all GAMC recipients to MinnesotaCare (MnCare), another state-funded health program. MnCare’s benefits are not as generous as those of GAMC. MnCare also requires a six-month residency for applicants, while GAMC only requires 30 days. MnCare enrollees pay premiums of about $4 per month and must renew their enrollment on their own. GAMC coverage begins on the date of application where MnCare approval takes about 60 days.
The GAMC bill passed by the Legislature only fixes the problem for 16 months and banks on getting federal health care funding to keep the program going. However, because of the election in Massachusetts, the fate of federal legislation is up in the air and not a certainty. The legislative fix bill also cuts reimbursement rates for providers by 50 per cent and makes counties contribute $23 million in funding. Those county dollars come from adult mental health programs, along with child and vulnerable adult protection services, which are not the best places to take them from. The plan also adds over $100 million to the state's deficit.
Negotiations between the Governor and legislative leaders continue presently, which, in my view, is the best approach to solving any problem. I believe a better and more affordable solution will be found to provide health care to this group of people. That solution must include system reform, equalizing the generous benefits and program eligibility, and better coordination of health care services.
Dairy Days was celebrated at the Capitol March 2. It’s a fun day when Minnesota’s dairy farmers come to town and treat our Agriculture Committee to dairy snacks and tell their story. What’s really amazing is to see these folks, coming off a year of extremely low milk prices, having such a positive attitude! Minnesota numbers are up, both in terms of production and cow numbers, and the feeling seems to be that things are going to get better. Our state has many factors in its favor, such as a lower cost of production with all of our readily available grain and forage.
Milk prices seemed to be heading in the right direction earlier this winter, but are now back in the basement again, according to Pat Lunemann, president of Minnesota Milk Producers. Cost of production is between $15 and $16 per hundredweight, with futures prices now in the $13 range. One troubling aspect, according to Lunemann, is dairy producers have lost equity because of low milk prices and some have used up their lines of credit. This will make it more difficult for some to obtain financing for their operations this spring.
Looking ahead, the Minnesota Milk Producers Association is calling for a “new era of dairying.” They would like to see a state-of-the-art research and information center focusing on the dairy industry built somewhere in Minnesota. They envision a facility large enough to allow research to be done on a commercial scale.
—30—
Rep. Anderson encourages constituents to contact his office with input regarding any state legislative issue. He can be reached on the web at www.house.mn/13A and via email at rep.paul.anderson@house.mn. To contact Anderson by phone, call (651) 296-4317. Mail can be sent to Rep. Paul Anderson, 239 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, Minnesota 55155.
News Items
- ANDERSON TAKES HOUSE OATH - (Posted: Jan 8 2013 12:00AM)
- Legislative begins this week - (Posted: Jan 11 2013 3:36PM)
- Current surplus allows K-12 repayment - (Posted: Dec 10 2012 12:00AM)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.