Minnesota Hospital Association Applauds Governor Dayton for Early Medicaid Enrollment

Statement from Lawrence J. Massa, President and CEO, Minnesota Hospital Association

ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 5, 2011/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Minnesota Hospital Association applauds Governor Dayton's action today to move forward with early enrollment of poor single adults into the Medicaid program.

Minnesota has a rich history of providing health care coverage for its poorest population, which is truly about Minnesota's shared values.

Minnesota was already providing health care coverage for most of these very poor individuals, who are making less than 75 percent of the federal poverty guidelines with state dollars only. It will now be paid for with a 50 – 50 financial participation with the federal government. These adults will now be able to enroll in a program that has been providing health care coverage for poor individuals with children since 1965.

It is important to note that our poorest residents will now have access to primary care, dental care, mental health services and an array of other outpatient clinical services on a statewide basis. Physician and preventive care will now be more accessible to this population.

Even though providers are paid less than the actual costs of giving care, early Medicaid enrollment of poor single adults will help ease the burden of growing uncompensated care, which happens when the uninsured access care in hospital emergency rooms.

The Minnesota Hospital Association represents Minnesota's hospitals and health systems.

SOURCE Minnesota Hospital Association

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