Whats In MNs $72B Budget: Publicoption Health Care And Protecting Abortion Rights

Lawmakers have taken the first step in the current health budget to create a public insurance plan. State officials must first review and obtain federal approval to expand Minnesota Care, currently only for the working poor.

It will take several years for a public option to become available, and the most likely of these will be the removal of state health insurance income caps. Also this year, lawmakers voted to remove immigration status as a barrier to obtaining health care.

Lawmakers also created a Prescription Drug Cost Panel that will use a mix of state and federal data to keep drug prices low. These include deductible limits for drugs used to treat chronic conditions such as diabetes and asthma.

In the Senate, there was not enough support to pass a nursing bill with committees to help define patient-nurse relationships. However, lawmakers agreed to take a tougher approach to tackling workplace violence and launch a full investigation into why nurses are quitting.

In addition, the Nurses Security Act provides funds for loan forgiveness to attract new nurses.

Abortion and other sexual assistance

One of the first bills passed this year concerned the protection of reproductive rights, including guaranteed access to abortion. Abortion access before the Reproductive Choices Protection Act (PRO), now overruled Roe v. The Wade case preserved access at the federal level

Lawmakers also struck down a number of abortion restrictions deemed unconstitutional or infringing on patients' rights to make health care decisions with their doctors. They also passed legislation to protect patients who come to the state for abortion care.

A bill banning conversion therapy for young people and a law making the state a haven for gender-sensitive care were also passed.

©2023 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit twincities.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.