Dear Neighbor,
The House has approved most of its omnibus budget bills as we work our way closer to the Legislature's May 18 date for adjournment.
One of the biggest areas of state spending is Health and Human Services and that bill passed the House early Wednesday morning. Care facilities throughout the state, including those in House District 20A, would receive substantial funding increases through the bill.
I am pleased the House passed this package to help us meet growing demands for long-term care. I have been very involved in this process, from meeting with local industry experts to touring facilities in our district and testifying in the House as an advocate for care providers.
The House's HHS bill implements a statewide reimbursement system that will result in a funding increase for nursing homes, particularly in Greater Minnesota, totaling more than $138 million. In addition, the bill includes $90 million for a one-time, 5-percent cost-of-living adjustment for home and community-based care workers.
According to non-partisan House Research, nursing home facilities in District 20A will receive substantial increases in 2016 under the House Republican proposal, including:
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Central Health Care, LeCenter: $312,595 increase
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Central Valley Health Center, LeSueur: $1.2 million increaes
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Lutheran Home, Belle Plaine: $1 million increase
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Mala Strana Health Care Center, New Prague: $1.1 million increase
Local care providers deserve huge credit for being engaged in the legislative process. Disparities in reimbursement payments from the state have put facilities in regions such as ours at a disadvantage and this legislation would help shrink the gaps to ensure people who rely on care receive it.
Another big finance bill the House approved this week is an omnibus tax bill. It includes $2 billion in tax relief over the next biennium. Middle-class families, college students, aging adults and veterans, farmers and job creators and innovators are among those who would benefit.
One highlight of the package is a new Minnesota personal or dependent tax exemption that could save a middle-class family of four more than $500 over the next two years. Other measures help families with pre-kindergarteners to high school seniors by expanding education deductions and allowing families saving for higher education costs to deduct their contributions.
Both of these bills are now in the hands of conference committees, which will work to resolve differences between House and Senate proposals in preparation for final passage.
I thank all the District 20A citizens who have been providing me with input on these and other issues throughout the session. Your continued correspondence is welcome as we continue taking up the issues during the late stages of the 2015 session.
Sincerely,
Bob