Senate Democrats today passed a highly-partisan Health and Human Services omnibus budget bill that implements controversial mandates, decreases quality of care, and increases government spending. The cost of the bill equates to $46.37 million in fiscal year 24-25, and $36.58 million in fiscal year 26-27. This additional spending comes just one year after the previous HHS budget bill which spent an unprecedented $6.1 billion and $6.6 billion in years 24-25 and 26-27 respectively.

“Healthcare should be affordable, reliable, and accessible, but today’s bill follow’s last year’s troubling trend: it increases mandates, limits personal freedoms, and drives up the cost of healthcare,” said Senator Paul Utke (R-Park Rapids), Republican Lead on the Health and Human Services Committee. “Instead of looking at ways to increase affordability and quality of care, the Democrats have put forward a bill that gives child care providers the authority to mandate vaccines on children as young as two months old, and forces insurance to cover abortion services and radical gender-affirming care procedures. This bill also takes the troubling step of repealing language that allowed for-profit HMO’s to operate in Minnesota. There are a lot of alarming inclusions in this bill that will do nothing but drive up the cost of healthcare in Minnesota.”

Arguably one of the most troubling portions of the bill mandates insurance to cover both abortion services and gender-affirming care. Gender-affirming care is defined as any care that includes medical, surgical, counseling, or referral services. However, this section fails to cover de-transitioning care. Though there is a carveout for organizations that hold a “religious objection” to these portions of coverage, it entails a lengthy process that will increase burdens on both the organization and the health plan company and will arguably drive up plan costs.

An additional controversial section states that licensed child care centers and family child care providers may now adopt policies prohibiting children over two months of age from enrolling in or remaining in enrolled in their current care program if they have not been vaccinated. This is an unprecedented attack on a parent’s freedom to make medical decisions for their children in consultation with medical professionals. If enacted, this section of the bill will allow child care providers to dictate vaccine schedules, which are incredibly personal decisions that should remain between a parent and a doctor.

One notable exclusion is a government-run healthcare plan. After strong feedback from numerous stakeholders, caregivers, and patients, Senate Republicans were successful in stripping this provision from the bill in its last committee stop.

“I’m glad we were able to stop this contentious measure,” said Utke. “Not only can Minnesota not afford this, it just isn’t feasible because it will leave numerous gaps in our healthcare system. Though this has been taken out of the bill this year, Minnesotans should know that Democrats will continue pushing this controversial issue.”

Republicans offered a number of key amendments to the bill which would have made gender transition care, abortion and abortion-related care, and child immunization for child care providers all optional rather than mandated as the bill proposes. These amendments were not accepted.

The bill passed off the Senate floor on a party-line vote of 34-31.