St. Paul, Minn. – Yesterday, Assistant Majority Leader Kelly Morrison (DFL-Deephaven) helped the Minnesota House pass its Health and Human Services Budget aimed at building a better health system for Minnesotans after the COVID-19 pandemic. The budget strengthens our public health systems, addresses health inequities, makes prescription drugs more affordable, and expands coverage for low-income Minnesotans. The bill also includes needed investments in affordable child care for Minnesota families.
“I’m proud to have contributed to this critical portion of the state budget,” said Rep. Morrison. “The provisions we prioritized in the House are designed to confront the challenges Minnesotans are facing with accessing care. For a healthy, thriving state, we must keep working together on solutions that put our people at the center of this goal.”
One significant area in the budget includes provisions to improve maternal and infant outcomes. Rep. Morrison’s bill to extend postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months for women covered by Medical Assistance (MA) fills a gap in Minnesota’s health insurance coverage and helps babies get off to the best possible start by ensuring that their mothers get the care they need to be healthy.
The final bill also includes Rep. Morrison’s bipartisan Minnesota Telehealth Act, which continues and expands telehealth options post-pandemic. Telehealth has been one of the few silver linings of the pandemic. Patients have experienced increased convenience and saved time and money. Telehealth has also improved access to care for those without reliable broadband or access to video technology.
To improve COVID-19 vaccine access for all, another provision championed by Rep. Morrison promotes equitable vaccine distribution. These include outreach campaigns, community assistance, and a mobile vaccination program. This bill also includes investments in Minnesota’s public health systems so that we are ready for the next public health challenge.
The bill language can be accessed here and a spreadsheet of the investments made in the budget bill can be accessed here. Video of the floor session will be available on House Public Information Services’ YouTube channel.
###