The Minnesota Senate today approved the state health and welfare budget, which funds key health and welfare programs across the state. The budget invests in behavioral and mental health, telemedicine, improving maternal outcomes, and increasing independence for disabled Minnesotans. It was passed with bipartisan support.
“This budget supports initiatives that help working families, especially mothers and their babies.” Senate Chair for Health and Human Services Michelle Benson (R-Ham Lake) said. “Our budget expands access to telemedicine, which creates better access to health care and lower costs for Minnesotans. There is record investment in our local public health system to help our health system recover from the pandemic. Controlling health care costs is a top priority for Minnesotans. We have worked every step of the way to find innovative ways to make savings. We have also succeeded in stopping repeated attempts by Governor Walz and the House of Representatives to expand the state health system. “
In addition to investing in health programs, the HHS budget remains focused on meeting the growing needs of the Minnesota disability community and ensuring that important, helpful programs are not cut.
“It took the entire regular session plus a special session to achieve this, but we remember the most monumental HHS law,” Jim Abeler (R-Anoka), chairman of the Senate’s Human Services Reform, said. “We have taken massive steps to help Minnesotatians with disabilities lead more fulfilling lives. Over a hundred thousand people will be touched by the greater opportunities to be successful and live independently. The dedicated PCAs and other professionals who serve as caretakers receive a well-deserved raise, and those in need of their services have better access to the care they need to live a good life. We are changing the lives of our most vulnerable citizens. I couldn’t be more proud of that. ”
The bipartisan package included agreements on the use of one-off federal funds for people with disabilities, child care, mental health, addiction disorders (SUD) and emergency relief. It also includes expanding the reinsurance program to keep healthcare costs down.
“Reinsurance is an innovative approach that has kept our healthcare costs down, and it has been incredibly successful. Republicans pledge to keep reinsurance available as a cost-saving measure “, said Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-East Gull Lake). “More importantly, reinsurance ensures Minnesotans have access to some of the lowest health care costs in the country. The important programs, vital medical services, and policy reforms contained in this budget will help the Minnesotars recover from COVID and support their families.
Disability assistance
The HHS budget has focused on meeting the growing needs of the Minnesota disabled community and ensuring that critical, helpful services are available to all.
This budget increases the availability of programs while ensuring that the most vulnerable are cared for. It includes an urgently needed rate increase for PCA and homecare providers. Grants to improve independent living and quality of life in the Minnesota disability community include parenting support grants for parents, housing improvement grants, home and community-based services for developmental disabilities, and many other important programs that serve these communities. The disability community receives investment and resources in the most meaningful and helpful programs to enable each and every person to lead a good and safe life.
Mental and behavioral health
The HHS budget prioritizes mental and behavioral health by focusing on the needs of Minnesota’s youth and improved access to programs. In this draft law, the working group for child psychiatry in inpatient treatment is created, which is charged with developing plans to finance the costs of inpatient treatment for children as well as room and board for mental treatment. The bill also sets out individual treatment plans for children in outpatient services, day care, home treatment, inpatient treatment, inpatient hospital treatment, and regional treatment centers that provide psychiatric services to children. School mental health and drug abuse grants are included in the funding of school-based behavioral health services. Substance use disorders in adults are also addressed, a SUD practice community founded to improve treatment outcomes, reduce unnecessary paperwork for treatments and increase the rate for certain substance use programs.
Mothers & their babies
The Senate fought for this and successfully supported mothers and their young children. Maternal results in the United States are lagging behind other developed nations. Key measures to support mothers and their babies include funding home visit grants to assist with breastfeeding, expanded grants for high-risk pregnancies, and a study to improve maternal outcomes. The bill also extends the right to postpartum medical assistance to twelve months and enacts the Law on Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth.
Telemedicine
The Senate has worked hard to promote innovation in our healthcare system. One of the greatest innovations today is the advent of telemedicine. The bill is investing heavily in expanding telehealth services and permanently adding mental health and SUD to the list of eligible services. Health insurance in Minnesota must cover the benefits provided by telemedicine in the same way as any other benefit covered by the health insurance plan. The bill also requires the MDH and DHS to investigate the impact of widening and payment parity on private health insurers and public health programs.
reinsurance
Reinsurance is a successful program brought forward in 2017 and the agreed budget will continue the program through performance year 2022. This section reaffirms our commitment to make health care more affordable for all Minnesotans and to stabilize our health insurance market. Reinsurance has allowed Minnesota to offer some of the lowest health insurance plans in the country.
source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/senator-jim-abeler-senate-pass-monumental-health-human-services-budget-supporting-minnesotas-most-vulnerable-and-prioritizing-lower-health-care-costs-for-minnesotans/
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