Proposed Budget Cuts in Health Care

The administration of Gov. Tim Pawlenty released this month its supplemental budget that includes $474 million in cuts to the Health and Human Services budget through 2011.

The budget then reallocates $250 million from the health care access fund to the general fund. The health care access fund is funded by a two percent tax on health care providers and a one percent tax on health insurance premiums.

The fund is designed to expand access to affordable health coverage to low income families in Minnesota. Summit Orthopedics shares concerns with other medical organizations across the state, including the Minnesota Medical Association, that reallocating these funds will hurt the community and low income families who are uninsured.

Read more about the budget proposal.