Healthcare

Reproductive Health:

Comprehensive, affordable healthcare is critical to the well-being of Minnesota families.

The latest data from the Minnesota Department of Health shows an alarming increase in uninsured people, including 62,000 children. For those still insured, rising premiums and medical costs are stressing family budgets up to, if not beyond, the breaking point. Cuts to premium support falls particularly hard on farmers, small business owners and older adults. This is not sustainable and we need to explore new and better options for accessing healthcare in Minnesota, including a buy-in option for MinnesotaCare or a new public option to drive down costs for hard working families across the state. Hospitals and providers are similarly approaching a breaking-point and we face the imminent closure of a major regional trauma center.

During almost three decades of working in emergency medical services, I saw countless people in medical crises. I have seen families worried about their loved ones, while also struggling with the possibility that they won’t be able to pay for their needed care. Minnesota families deserve peace of mind when faced with medical diagnoses and decisions – they should not have to risk personal bankruptcy for chemotherapy.

Federal changes to community safety-net programs are bringing new costs to our counties. In addition to administering much of our health and human services programs, Minnesota counties will now be responsible for the technological and financial burden of repeatedly determining eligibility, as well as directly providing new services, like food assistance. We in the legislature must work with the counties to ensure that these added responsibilities do not lead to massive property tax hikes and that they have the technological updates needed to effectively carry out these new responsibilities.

As the Representative for HD56B, I support legislation that provides for effective and efficient medical care for all Minnesotans. I will continue to work toward the adoption of a healthcare system that does not tie access to healthcare to employment, allowing Minnesotans to stay rooted in their communities rather than needing to relocate for the sake of health coverage. I will also focus on ensuring that small business employers are not financially stressed by providing quality healthcare options to their employees. I have sought input from medical professionals and constituents – not just insurance companies – to inform my healthcare votes.

I support reproductive freedom. Private medical decisions should remain private, not controlled by legislators. I voted to protect individuals’ rights to make reproductive choices for themselves and their families. This fundamental freedom is essential to the economic and emotional health of all Minnesotans. I support easy and affordable access to the full range of reproductive healthcare and family planning resources. We all know that emergencies can arise at any point in a pregnancy, and that urgent decisions must be made between patients and doctors. It is crucial that individuals and families in Minnesota remain free to make the best decisions for themselves and their healthcare needs without interference from legislators.

Highlights:

• As Co-Chair of the Legislative Task Force on Emergency Medical Services, we began to address the urgent crisis facing ambulance services, particularly in greater Minnesota. Municipalities are struggling to respond to emergency calls; delays are life threatening. My Bill, signed into Law, allocates $30 million to stabilize emergency ambulance services and created a new office dedicated to EMS oversight. Passed with strong bi-partisan support.

• The Sprint EMS program launched in January 2026, getting emergency care to people faster, particularly in rural areas. This is one of the innovations that emerged from the Legislative Task Force on Emergency Medical Services and utilized some of the one-time surplus money to get started.

• Allocated $35 million in 2025 to modernize the Child Welfare and Social Security IT systems in 2025.

• Addressed rising hunger by allocating $12 million for food security, including: $5 million for food shelves; $5 million for food banks; $1 million for prepared meals, and $1 million for the American Indian Sovereignty program in 2025.

• Capped co-pays for inhalers, Epi-Pens, and chronic medical supplies.

• No co-pays on additional screening for mammograms.

• $437,838 investment in Apple Valley Village Health Care Center in 2024.

• Reformed laws concerning medical debt: debt no longer reported to credit bureaus; more transparent collections policies; debt no longer automatically transferred to spouses; future medical care cannot be denied due to debt; new processes to dispute medical billing.

• Provided wage increases for thousands of healthcare workers and improved the working conditions for nursing home staff.