Minnesota Hospital Association

Newsroom

September 22, 2017

MHA does not support the Graham-Cassidy bill

The Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) has long advocated for health care coverage for all Minnesotans. On behalf of our 142 hospitals and health systems, MHA places a priority on preserving health care coverage for low-income Minnesotans. In addition, we want Minnesotans to have meaningful insurance coverage for all essential health care services.   

The Graham-Cassidy bill, an effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), would eliminate the ACA’s individual and employer mandates, turn the Medicaid program into a per-capita cap program rather than an individual-based support program, cut the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, make it more difficult for providers to enroll individuals in need in public assistance programs and authorize insurance companies to sell catastrophic insurance plans that may not cover preventive and routine health care services.   

The bill would reduce the number of Minnesotans who have insurance and would financially penalize Minnesota for its effort to reduce the rate of uninsured individuals and to provide comprehensive health benefits in public programs. Independent analyses of the bill estimate Minnesota would lose billions of dollars per year in federal funding under this proposal.   

The Graham-Cassidy bill would harm our state and its residents. MHA does not support the bill. We remain committed to assisting policymakers in discussing health care legislation that will preserve meaningful health care coverage for Minnesotans.  

Lawrence J. Massa, M.S., FACHE 
President & CEO
Minnesota Hospital Association 

The Minnesota Hospital Association represents 142 hospitals and health systems, which provide quality care for their patients and meet the needs of their communities. 

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