Friends and neighbors –
Even a $19 billion surplus is not enough for Democrats this year. Not only are they planning to spend virtually the entire surplus, but they are raising taxes on top of it. We combed through their budget and discovered almost $10 billion in tax increases in their various proposals. Even those of us who expected they would raise taxes this year were surprised by the sheer size and scope of their increases.
You can read more about their increases here: https://www.mnsenaterepublicans.com/senate-gop-exposes-nearly-10-billion-in-tax-hikes-from-democrats-during-truth-in-taxation-event/
There is also a provision in the House tax bill that would decimate local charities, youth sports groups, and veterans organizations across the state. The provision would eliminate the “open-all” feature on Minnesota e-pull tabs. It is a feature that has been allowed by the Gaming Control Board since 2012.
Local charities, youth sports organizations, VFWs, American Legions, and numerous other local hospitality businesses will experience a serious loss of revenue for local community organizations.
I assure you, I absolutely and unequivocally oppose this change.
Please contact the governor as well as your state Senators and Representatives and ask them to reject this change that would be so harmful to countless local charitable organizations.
Empowering consumers and increasing healthcare cost transparency
The Senate approved a health and human services budget bill this week, which has stirred considerable controversy. It fails to address the complexity and high costs of healthcare in Minnesota. The bill falls short of making it more accessible, affordable, and of higher quality.
Unfortunately, Democrats rejected our efforts to improve the bill to some degree with commonsense amendments.
I offered several of those amendments, including one to give insurance the option to offer reference-based healthcare pricing in Minnesota. Reference-based pricing is straightforward a way to control healthcare costs and improve transparency. Here is how it works:
Basically, health insurance providers decide on a set amount of money they are willing to pay for a certain service, like a doctor’s visit. This set amount is called the “reference price,” and it’s usually based on how much that service costs in the area where you live. If your doctor charges more than the reference price, you may have to pay the extra amount that your insurance or employer won’t cover. So it encourages people to shop for the best price, and it encourages providers to offer competitive (and lower) prices for services.
Watch my floor comments explaining this amendment and why it is so vital for Minnesota: https://youtu.be/aQ54klwh-To
It would not be mandatory; it would simply be an option available to us to reduce costs. Reference-based pricing empowers consumers and increases transparency in health care costs, which will help us rein in the growth of medical costs and help Minnesotans with the rising costs of health care across the board.
Unfortunately, Democrats rejected this just like they did with our other improvements. The lack of bipartisan effort on this issue is disappointing, and there is still a need for comprehensive solutions that prioritize the needs of Minnesotans when it comes to healthcare improvements.
Contact me
I love hearing your feedback. If you have any questions or comments about the issues we are working on, please contact me anytime. My email is sen.glenn.gruenhagen@senate.mn, or you can call me at 651-296-4131.
Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook: https://www.fb.com/SenatorGlennGruenhagen.
It is a privilege to serve you. God Bless.