http://minnesotabudgetbites.org/2009/01/16/in-state-of-the-state-pawlenty-hopes-for-job-growth-but-turns-his-back-on-most-effective-measures/ Fri, 04 May 2012 22:43:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://minnesotabudgetbites.org/2009/01/16/in-state-of-the-state-pawlenty-hopes-for-job-growth-but-turns-his-back-on-most-effective-measures/#comment-199 Anni Simons, Minnesota Consortium For Citizens with Disabilities Fri, 16 Jan 2009 22:43:46 +0000 http://minnesotabudgetbites.org/?p=817#comment-199 We would like to further expand on the topic of Pawlenty's potential cuts to health and human services at a time when he prioritizes job growth. The health and human services budget pays for, among many other things, services for individuals with disabilities and older Minnesotans. Because Medicaid is the source of funding for these services, Minnesota receives $1 of federal match for every $1 the state spends. Most of these Medicaid funds for services for individuals with disabilities and older Minnesotans are used to hire staff to provide assistance and services. Cutting funding for these Medicaid programs is turning away federal funds that are used to pay for jobs for Minnesotans in this troubled economy. The health and human services budget affects our state economy in many ways, including paying for Minnesota jobs with a dollar for dollar federal match. Is this the time to cut health and human services funding and turn away federal dollars which provide both needed services to vulnerable Minnesotans as well as needed jobs for Minnesota residents? We would like to further expand on the topic of Pawlenty’s potential cuts to health and human services at a time when he prioritizes job growth. The health and human services budget pays for, among many other things, services for individuals with disabilities and older Minnesotans. Because Medicaid is the source of funding for these services, Minnesota receives $1 of federal match for every $1 the state spends. Most of these Medicaid funds for services for individuals with disabilities and older Minnesotans are used to hire staff to provide assistance and services. Cutting funding for these Medicaid programs is turning away federal funds that are used to pay for jobs for Minnesotans in this troubled economy. The health and human services budget affects our state economy in many ways, including paying for Minnesota jobs with a dollar for dollar federal match. Is this the time to cut health and human services funding and turn away federal dollars which provide both needed services to vulnerable Minnesotans as well as needed jobs for Minnesota residents?

]]> http://minnesotabudgetbites.org/2009/01/16/in-state-of-the-state-pawlenty-hopes-for-job-growth-but-turns-his-back-on-most-effective-measures/#comment-198 Mike Madden Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:25:14 +0000 http://minnesotabudgetbites.org/?p=817#comment-198 Your health care comment is right on! Being recently retired, I struggled with finding a cost effective replacement for my health care benefit from my employer. I know of other retirees who are struggling with the cost of having to obtain our own insurance. If you lose your job and lose your health insurance benefits, you now need to cover the health risk. (1) Care costs are discounted for people in health care plans. Paying premiums gives you access to the discounted [negotiated] rates. (2) Paying premiums isn't the whole deal as you still have the deductable to satisfy. For example, it you pay $300 monthly and have a $5000 deductable, you're paying $8600 BEFORE you start to get benefits, other than the in-plan discounts. My research says that you can play games with deductables and premiums, but you are still talking several thousand dollars here. (3) No one can really afford to get sick or incur substantial medical expenses. If you "protect" yourself by escrowing the deductables, that's $5000 you don't have to spend. Your health care comment is right on! Being recently retired, I struggled with finding a cost effective replacement for my health care benefit from my employer. I know of other retirees who are struggling with the cost of having to obtain our own insurance. If you lose your job and lose your health insurance benefits, you now need to cover the health risk. (1) Care costs are discounted for people in health care plans. Paying premiums gives you access to the discounted [negotiated] rates. (2) Paying premiums isn’t the whole deal as you still have the deductable to satisfy. For example, it you pay $300 monthly and have a $5000 deductable, you’re paying $8600 BEFORE you start to get benefits, other than the in-plan discounts. My research says that you can play games with deductables and premiums, but you are still talking several thousand dollars here. (3) No one can really afford to get sick or incur substantial medical expenses. If you “protect” yourself by escrowing the deductables, that’s $5000 you don’t have to spend.

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