Dear Neighbors,
Late Monday night, the House debated and approved its final omnibus finance bill as the House is now set to enter negotiations with the Senate Republican majority through the conference committee process. I hope that these bills will return much improved and that I will be able to support them on final passage before the May 17th adjournment date.
The final bill that was approved was the Health and Human Services (HHS) bill. HHS spending constitutes the largest share of the state’s budget.
This bill was another easy “no” vote for me as the 970-page bill spent more than $650 million above current funding levels over the next four years.
Here are some of the top-line issues with the bill:
- Creates new mandates for insurers and drug companies which will increase the cost of care.
- More mandates and limitations for hospitals which will negatively impact hospitals’ ability to care for and support patients.
- Expands government run healthcare by putting government bureaucrats in charge of drug, dental, and nonemergency medical transport coverage for all public program enrollees.
- Dramatically changes welfare programs by providing less oversight and reporting requirements for those on public programs.
Once again, despite my issues with the bill in its current form, I hope that it returns much improved after conference committee with the Senate.
I will do my best to keep you up to date on the latest from St. Paul as we enter the final 2.5 weeks of the session.
Staying in Touch
Please continue to reach out to me to share your questions, thoughts, or concerns. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4293 or via email at rep.john.poston@house.mn.
Have a great weekend,
John