Issue Position: Health and Family Security

Issue Position

Early Enrollment into Medical Assistance

With the passage of federal health care reform, Senator Sieben supported a plan passed by the Legislature that would allow Minnesota to enroll its GAMC population into Medical Assistance (MA) and garner a 50% federal match in the cost of care. Enrolling the GAMC population into Medical Assistance would have ended the need for a separate state-run program. While Governor Pawlenty has chosen not to take advantage of this opportunity, the next Governor will have the authority to opt-in to early enrollment without additional legislative approval or spending.

Minnesota currently spends $1.2 billion every biennium on health coverage for single adults below 75% of the federal poverty guideline. Early enrollment into MA means the federal government will pick up 50% of the cost for all these individuals. By spending an additional $188 million over the next three years, Minnesota will draw down $1.4 billion in federal revenue. This is a $7.45 return on our investment. The benefits under Medical Assistance are also more comprehensive than the current state-run programs. The reimbursement to providers and hospitals is higher and will help them provide better care at a fairer price.

Senator Sieben believes that by making this investment into the health care system Minnesota can save or create over 20,000 jobs in the health care sector. As the state tries to recover from the worst recession since the Great Depression, ensuring job growth and retention is essential.

It is Senator Sieben's hope that the next Governor will take advantage of the legislation put into place and ensure that affordable, accessible and quality health care is available to all Minnesotans.

Environmental Health Tracking/Biomonitoring

Senator Sieben sponsored legislation that provided $2 million to the Department of Health to set up an environmental health tracking program, and authorized a biomonitoring pilot program that included volunteers that have been exposed to chemicals, including perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs).

Results from the pilot project, released last summer, which measured levels of PFCs in the blood of residents in the east metro area confirm that residents were exposed to PFCs at levels higher than the national average. For the pilot study, health scientists interviewed and obtained blood samples from 196 randomly selected adult participants in order to measure the levels of seven perfluorochemicals in their blood.

Health information on the effects of PFCs in the general population is still limited. Studies on animals have shown some health effects, such as effects on the liver, thyroid, and pancreas. It is unclear whether these problems are likely to occur in humans and at what levels of exposure, but studies like the PFC biomonitoring one will help increase knowledge in the field. Senator Sieben continues to work to secure additional funding for further study.

Establishment of Health Risk Limits for PFCs

Senator Sieben also sponsored and passed legislation requiring the Department of Health to establish health risk limits for two perfluorochemicals, PFOA and PFOS. A health risk limit (HRL) is the concentration of a groundwater contaminant that can be safely consumed daily over a lifetime. The law required that the HRL adopted by the Health Department be based on currently available toxicity and exposure data. This information was needed following the exposure of east metro residents to PFCs found in public drinking water.

Legislative Caucus to Stop Sexual Violence

Senator Sieben is a strong advocate for women's health and worked with the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA) to convene the annual meeting of the caucus to stop sexual violence. Senator Sieben was recognized for her work with MNCASA by receiving the organization's AWARE award this year.

BPA Free Children's Products

Senator Sieben was a strong supporter of legislation to prohibit the sale of children's products that contain BPA.

Bisphenol-A is a chemical used to harden plastics and has been shown in animal laboratory tests to act as a hormone disruptor that mimics estrogen and can result in abnormalities of the male reproductive tract, heart disease, prostate cancer, miscarriages, and diabetes. BPA is one of the most studied chemicals on the market today.

Minnesota is the first state to pass legislation protecting babies from bisphenol-A. The result of several years of work and bipartisan dialogue, the final bill requires that new baby bottles and sippy cups sold in Minnesota after 2011 be BPA-free.

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