by Paul Demko
Published: May 16, 2013
Tags: AARM, Bruce Nelson, health and human services budget, Tom Huntley, Tony Lourey
The health and human services budget currently being hash out in conference committee relies on a change in the way it books revenue from existing surcharges on hospitals and health plans. That allows for a one-time infusion of $76 million for the next biennium.
by Briana Bierschbach
Published: April 24, 2013
Tags: 2013 session, budget bill, Erin Murphy, Glenn Gruenhagen, Health and Human Services, Health Care, Jay McNamar, Jim Abeler, Joe Radinovich, John Ward, Julie Rosen, Matt Dean, Minnesota House of Representatives, Minnesota Legislature, Paul Rosenthal, Paul Torkelson, Shannon Savick, Steve Drazkowski, Tina Liebling, Tom Huntley, Will Morgan
Democrats in the House have approved an $11.2 billion health and human services budget bill that would trim $150 million from spending over the next two years while also making first-ever investments in mental health programs in schools.
by Briana Bierschbach
Published: April 22, 2013
Tags: Erin Murphy, Glenn Gruenhagen, Health and Human Services, health insurance exchange, Jay McNamar, Julie Rosen, Paul Torkelson, Tom Huntley, Will Morgan
The bill passed off the House floor Monday night on a 70-64 vote after more than nine hours of debate. The bill would provide a 3 percent increase to cost-of-living for nursing homes and a 2 percent increase for long-term care providers while cutting about $150 million from projected HHS spending.
by Paul Demko
Published: April 12, 2013
Tags: HHS, Jim Abeler, Julie Ring, Mark Dayton, Steve Larson, Tom Huntley
When the House budget target for health and human services was released last month, it was greeted with cries of disbelief. Given that the DFL-controlled Legislature planned to increase taxes by roughly $2 billion, the common refrain went, how was it possible that they planned to cut $150 million in cuts to health and human services?
by Charley Shaw
Published: April 10, 2013
Tags: Bec Scalze, David Tomassoni, Debra Hilstrom, Jean Wagenius, Mark Dayton, Patti Cullen, Ron Latz, Tom Huntley, Tony Lourey
Faced with a set of budget targets that concentrate most new spending on the education sector, some House committee chairs are seeking to augment their own budgets with added marginal revenues from fee hikes.
by Briana Bierschbach
Published: February 20, 2013
Tags: David Bly, Joe Mullery, Kathy Sheran, mental health, Tom Huntley, Yvonne Selcer
Beneath the noisy debate about guns that has erupted at the Capitol this session, there is a quieter legislative push to improve mental health services in schools and public health programs.
by Briana Bierschbach
Published: February 19, 2013
Tags: Affordable Care Act, Kathy Sheran, Mark Dayton, Medical Assistance, Tom Huntley
Gov. Mark Dayton's signature means an additional 35,000 low-income adults will be covered by federal money in a state-crafted Medicaid program, including adults without children making less than $15,000 a year. "I haven't done one of these for awhile," Dayton joked as he signed the bill in a ceremony on Tuesday alongside its two Democratic authors in the Legislature, Sen. Kathy Sheran and Rep. Tom Huntley.
by Mike Mullen
Published: December 26, 2012
Tags: Affordable Care Act, April Todd-Malmlov, Erin Murphy, health insurance exchange, James Metzen, Jim Abeler, Joe Atkins, Joe Hoppe, Kate Johansen, Mike Hickey, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Businesses, Obamacare, Phillip Cryan, Service Employees International Union, Tom Huntley, Tony Lourey
Key question: Does Minnesota want to be more like Massachusetts or Utah?
by Mike Mullen
Published: December 19, 2012
Tags: Affordable Care Act, April Todd-Malmlov, Erin Murphy, James Metzen, Jim Abeler, Joe Atkins, Joe Hoppe, Phillip Cryan, Tom Huntley, Tony Lourey
Close observers and key players in Minnesota’s project to create a health insurance exchange have some advice for those who want to follow the process: Pay close attention, and don’t blink.
by Charley Shaw
Published: November 9, 2012
Tags: Al Juhnke, Alice Hausman, Ann Lenczewski, Ann Rest, Carlos Mariani, Dan Sparks, Dick Cohen, Doug Magnus, Erin Murphy, Frank Hornstein, Jean Wagenius, Jim Metzen, Jim Vickerman, Joe Atkins, John Marty, Katie Sieben, Keith Langseth, Kent Eken, LeRoy Stumpf, Loren Solberg, Lyle Koenen, Lyndon Carlson, Mindy Greiling, Paul Marquart, Paul Thissen, Rod Skoe, Ron Erhardt, Sandy Pappas, Scott Dibble, Tina Liebling, Tom Bakk, Tom Huntley, Tom Saxhaug, Tony Lourey
Close on the heels of Tuesday’s election, members of the new DFL House and Senate majorities gathered behind closed doors on Thursday to elect their leaders. As expected, the minority leaders who helped steer Democrats back into control — Rep. Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, and Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook — were elevated to House speaker and Senate majority leader.
