Health Care

House lawmakers advance a bill creating a MinnesotaCare public option for all state residents

BY: - February 8, 2023

Minnesota House lawmakers on Wednesday advanced a bill (HF96) to expand the state’s public health insurance program called MinnesotaCare, allowing all Minnesotans to buy in to the program. The MinnesotaCare buy-in proposal would provide affordable, government insurance for workers who need it, including the self-employed and undocumented residents, said chief author of the bill, Rep. […]

Biden in State of the Union speech to call for bipartisan action on fentanyl crisis

BY: - February 7, 2023

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday night is expected in his State of the Union address to call on Congress to work with the administration to address in a bipartisan manner the fentanyl crisis, administration officials said on a call with reporters. Biden will call for expanded access to opioid-related addiction treatment and announce […]

Medical students, community protest potential merger between Sanford and Fairview

BY: - February 6, 2023

Medical students, health care workers and community members gathered outside a University of Minnesota building on Friday, braving a wind chill of minus 14 degrees to rally against a planned merger between Sanford Health and Fairview Health Services.  “The values of Fairview and Sanford are very different from the University of Minnesota,” said Brianna Wenande, […]

Inside UnitedHealthcare’s effort to deny coverage to chronically ill patient

BY: , and - February 3, 2023

This story was originally published by ProPublica In May 2021, a nurse at UnitedHealthcare called a colleague to share some welcome news about a problem the two had been grappling with for weeks. United provided the health insurance plan for students at Penn State University. It was a large and potentially lucrative account: lots of […]

Scott Jensen accuses state of targeting his medical license to ‘crush dissenting voices’

BY: - February 1, 2023

Former Republican nominee for governor Scott Jensen is accusing the state medical board and attorney general of targeting his medical license for political reasons.

House Democrats want state authority over health care consolidations in Minnesota

BY: - January 30, 2023

Minnesota House Democrats on Monday warned a merger between Fairview Health Services and Sanford Health could increase health care costs or lead to hospital and clinic closures.  In November, Fairview and Sanford announced their intention to merge into one health care system run by Sanford’s current CEO Bill Gassen. The target date to complete the […]

After Republicans delay with lengthy debate, Senate passes bill codifying abortion rights

BY: - January 27, 2023

Update: The bill passed Saturday morning and heads to the desk of Gov. Tim Walz, who is expected to sign it. Minnesota Senate Republicans launched an informal filibuster to prevent abortion rights from being codified into state law Friday, offering dozens of amendments and speeches that lasted well into Saturday morning.  Democratic-Farmer-Labor lawmakers pressed on […]

Seven facts about abortion in Minnesota

BY: - January 25, 2023

This week the state Senate plans to take up a bill that will codify stronger protections for abortion and other reproductive health care rights into state law. The bill has already passed the House, and is considered a top legislative priority for the new DFL trifecta in St. Paul. Abortion rights are currently protected here […]

DFL Legislature moving quickly on a range of issues three weeks into session

BY: - January 20, 2023

The DFL-controlled House passed a bill Thursday codifying the right to an abortion into law. It now moves to the Senate. That’s just one policy area where the DFL is moving fast. Some other big bills that moved forward this week: Bill requiring the state’s utilities to generate 100% of electricity from carbon-free sources by […]

Rural seniors benefit from pandemic-driven remote fitness boom

BY: - January 13, 2023

MALMO, Minn. — Eight women, all 73 or older, paced the fellowship hall at Malmo Evangelical Free Church to a rendition of Daniel O’Donnell’s “Rivers of Babylon” as they warmed up for an hourlong fitness class. The women, who live near or on the eastern shore of Mille Lacs Lake, had a variety of reasons […]

Unionized home care workers win 31% raise in tentative agreement with Minnesota officials

BY: - January 6, 2023

Roughly 20,000 of Minnesota’s home care workers will see their biggest pay raise in history over the next two years, under a contract reached between the administration of Gov. Tim Walz and SEIU Healthcare Minnesota, the union representing the workers. The home care workers help elderly and disabled people with daily tasks such as bathing […]

Right to abortion bill clears first hurdle in Minnesota House

BY: - January 5, 2023

A bill that explicitly establishes the right to an abortion in Minnesota law cleared its first hurdle on Thursday over Republican objections. The House Health Finance and Policy Committee passed the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act along a party-line vote after hearing emotional testimony from pro- and anti-abortion advocates. DFL legislative leaders have made passing […]