Dear Neighbors,

Thank you to everyone who joined Rep. Olson, Sen. McEwen and me for our Virtual Town Hall meeting on Saturday. Although virtually, it was great to see so many people from our community. If you couldn’t join us, the full video is available here. Unfortunately, due to limited time we couldn’t answer every question, and I encourage you to reach out to me directly about any issue important to you. Additionally, we plan to hold another event later this legislative session.

MinnesotaCare Public Option

Minnesota families, local communities, and our state’s economy are all stronger when everyone has the health care they need. This week, I joined Minnesota small business owners, health care experts, faith leaders, and my legislative colleagues to unveil the MinnesotaCare Public Option. This legislation would allow Minnesotans to enroll in MinnesotaCare – a bipartisan solution created in 1992 to provide health care for low-income Minnesotans – and take advantage of lower out-of-pocket costs and access to a strong network of providers. Under this proposal, Minnesotans beyond the current income guidelines could enroll in the program, paying premiums on a sliding, income-based scale.

Minnesotans continue to face significant difficulties with high health care costs, and the threat of COVID-19 has only added to these challenges. Altarum’s Healthcare Value Hub also announced results of a new survey highlighting the struggles Minnesotans are experiencing, along with significant support – increasing across party lines – for new affordable health care solutions.

The MinnesotaCare Public Option is a solution for this pivotal moment to ensure everyone can count on the care they need, no exceptions. KBJR aired a story on the legislation, and a fact sheet is available here.

Governor Walz’s COVID-19 Recovery Budget

Also earlier this week, Governor Tim Walz announced his new proposed two-year budget aimed at supporting small businesses and driving our economic recovery, ensuring students can catch up on learning opportunities lost over the past year, and supporting working families struggling during this crisis.

The Governor’s budget will help address many challenges faced by Minnesotans during the pandemic. I look forward to working with Governor Walz to protect our investments in health care, including in public health so we are prepared for any future health care crises, and maintaining high-quality services, particularly for vulnerable populations. I’m committed to helping Minnesotans move beyond this crisis and building a foundation for a strong future.

COVID-19 Update

Minnesota hit a milestone this week reaching one million COVID-19 tests performed at community sites. Testing remains a critical part of our strategy combating COVID-19, and there are currently more than 20 testing sites located around the state, all of which offer no-barrier access to testing. Saliva testing remains available at the DECC daily; appointments can be made here.

As of Tuesday, 320,347 Minnesotans have received their first dose of the vaccine and 85,217 have completed the series. More vaccine data is available on the state Vaccine Dashboard. The supply we’ve received from the federal government has been extremely limited, and right now, the state’s strategy is to immunize for maximum impact, targeting those most at-risk. Wednesday, we learned the federal government will be increasing our state’s allotment of the vaccine and we’re hopeful we can quickly increase distribution and help defeat this pandemic.

Please continue to stay in touch with your viewpoints, ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance. Thank you for the honor to serve at the State Capitol.

Sincerely,

Jen Schultz
State Representative