Health Care

The ability to afford health care shouldn't depend on someone's paycheck or address. Our state has a history of investing in health care, healthy communities, and the well-being of Minnesotans. That's paid off in strong rates of health care coverage. But there's more to do, including dismantling barriers to living healthy lives that many people of color and people in rural areas face.

Our health care work focuses on the effects of state and federal health care policies on Minnesotans' ability to live healthy lives and get the care they need to thrive.

Research

August 2013

MNsure: A new world of opportunities for affordable health insurance starts in 2014

Starting January 1, 2014, Minnesotans will experience a new world of health insurance options, thanks to the state’s new insurance exchange, MNsure. MNsure is an online marketplace where individuals and small employers will be able to shop for, compare and enroll in insurance. Although two-thirds of Minnesotans will continue to get health insurance directly through their employers, nearly 1.3 million Minnesotans are expected to use MNsure to find private or public health insurance.

January 2013

The Basic Health Plan option: Creating the next generation of MinnesotaCare

Minnesota has a proud history of making affordable health care coverage available to low-income working families. However, Minnesota is at risk of losing one of our greatest legacies – MinnesotaCare. Over the last 20 years, this signature achievement has allowed hundreds of thousands of working Minnesotans to purchase affordable insurance for themselves and their families.

January 2013

Covering more Minnesotans through Medicaid would improve health outcomes and reduce state costs

More than 87,000 Minnesotans would gain access to affordable health insurance and the state would save millions of dollars if lawmakers do the right thing and expand Medicaid during the 2013 Legislative Session. Providing health care to more Americans through Medicaid is a key component of the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), which is already helping thousands of Minnesotans stay healthy by improving access to affordable health insurance. Federal funds would cover nearly the entire cost of the Medicaid expansion for the first three years. That’s a good bargain for the state and for Minnesotans with private insurance who now shoulder much of the cost of caring for patients without insurance through higher premiums.

April 2012

Poverty rises, median income falls, and more Minnesotans go without health insurance in 2010

The United States has weathered two recessions in the last decade, and the financial turmoil has taken its toll on the...

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Health Care Blog Posts

February 01, 2023

Governor Walz releases FY 2024-25 budget priorities

In his proposal for the two-year FY 2024-25 budget cycle, Governor Tim Walz proposes $11.2 billion in additional funding for public services, with the largest amount of new dollars going toward education, economic development, and health and human services. He also proposes $5.4 billion in tax reductions in FY 2024-25, with the biggest component being a one-time tax rebate. Read more in our blog.

October 25, 2022

Inflation Reduction Act advances economic relief, tax equity, and climate response

The federal Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions so that seniors, workers, and families can meet their health care and basic needs, takes important steps to address the climate crisis, and raises revenues from those with the greatest resources to invest in critical public services.

July 26, 2022

Open position: policy analyst will shape policies that advance economic and racial justice

For strongest consideration, apply by August 19; applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

June 07, 2022

Mental health bill takes important steps forward in addressing state’s crisis

Minnesota legislators took important steps toward shoring up our state’s mental health system by allocating $93 million over three years aimed at increasing the number of providers, supporting mental health crisis services, and reducing racial disparities in mental health services.

More Health Care Blogs

Our Health Care Policy Work

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Preserving critical health care funding

Keeping Minnesota’s health care provider tax in place is a key to a healthy Minnesota. The Minnesota Budget Project worked hard alongside others to preserve this critical source of funding by repealing the scheduled sunset of the provider tax during the 2019 Legislative Session. The health care provider tax was permanently extended as part of the budget agreement reached by Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Legislature. However, the provider tax rate was reduced from 2 percent to 1.8 percent.

Read more

Health Care

Research

MNsure: A new world of opportunities for affordable health insurance starts in 2014

The Basic Health Plan option: Creating the next generation of MinnesotaCare

Covering more Minnesotans through Medicaid would improve health outcomes and reduce state costs

Poverty rises, median income falls, and more Minnesotans go without health insurance in 2010

Health Care Blog Posts

Governor Walz releases FY 2024-25 budget priorities

Inflation Reduction Act advances economic relief, tax equity, and climate response

Open position: policy analyst will shape policies that advance economic and racial justice

Mental health bill takes important steps forward in addressing state’s crisis

Our Health Care Policy Work

Preserving critical health care funding

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