The Minnesota Legislature is currently in session, and there are many issues being addressed, including issues of importance to rural people.
State Sen. Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, is the new majority leader who joined us on the KAXE Morning Show. The conversation revolved around rural health care, including hospital unit closures and loss of services, ambulance services and medical debt.
“We are advancing legislation,” Murphy said, “that would require hospitals to give six months public notice in order for a community like Fosston to be able to respond.”
"If money is an issue, let’s figure that part out. But leaving a part of the state without labor and delivery services is a risk for people and we, the Legislature, believe we should be addressing that."Majority Leader Sen. Erin Murphy, DFL-St Paul
The KAXE Newsroom has been reporting on the loss of labor and delivery at the Fosston hospital. You can read more about the community meetings here.
Murphy said she’s grateful to learn that communities like Fosston are pushing back. “If money is an issue, let’s figure that part out. But leaving a part of the state without labor and delivery services is a risk for people and we, the Legislature, believe we should be addressing that.”
Ambulance service is also an issue the Legislature is addressing. Murphy told a story from a constituent in Morris who had a family member needing transfer and the only way was by air ambulance. The out-of-pocket cost was about $18,000, which is unaffordable for most people.
“That’s an emergency on top of an emergency,” she explained.
Murphy also said the legislature is addressing medical debt. “From my perspective, healthcare costs are, they’re exceptionally high, often out of a person’s reach and certainly not of their own making.”
Accruing medical debt because of high costs should not lead to denying adequate care, according to Murphy. “All of these bills intended to support and improve the lives of Minnesotans.”
Listen to the full conversation with state Sen. Erin Murphy above.
