A major health care policy bill passed the Legislature on Sunday (May 18), one advocates claim will reduce the cost of health care premiums in Minnesota by about 13 percent by 2015.

House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, and Assistant Senate Majority Leader Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, emerged from the Governor's Office shortly after 5 a.m. Sunday (May 18)with smiles. The two leaders said they DFL Leaders and Gov. Tim Pawlenty will have a joint appearance around noon today. "Good news," said Clark.

DFL leaders have been suggesting that they've struck a global budget agreement with the governor. (Photo by T.W. Budig, ECM Capitol Reporter)

by T.W. Budig
ECM Capitol reporter

A major health care policy bill passed the Legislature on Sunday (May 18), one advocates claim will reduce the cost of health care premiums in Minnesota by about 13 percent by 2015.

It was the sole major conference committee report to hit the House and Senate floors on Saturday or early Sunday morning, the others - education finance, taxes, - remain snagged in budget talks.

But legislative leaders left the Capitol early Sunday morning sounding upbeat.

"We're tidying up a bonding bill," said Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, before the Senate adjourned about 4 a.m. Sunday morning.

"I think there will be a global agreement," he said.

House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, indicated earlier Sunday morning that lawmakers would take up the health care bill and return later in the day to deal with other bills.

Sertich, too, expressed optimism an agreement would be reached.

The Governor's Office has repeatedly stressed that an overall, "wholistic" agreement would need to reached with legislative leaders before Gov. Tim Pawlenty would sign-off on the major legislation.

12,000 more Minnesotans to be insured

Senate Health and Human Service Committee Chairwoman Linda Berglin, DFL-Minneapolis, said the health care bill would insure 12,000 more Minnesotans - less than originally targeted by the Senate but an increase.

"They are still steps in the right direction," she said on the Senate floor.

The health care bill has a public health component, health care payment reform, and other features.

It easily passed both bodies.

"It's been a bill that's been through the buff and shine," said Rep. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, saying the legislation would usher in transparency, identify high-cost, poor-result physicians, and achieve other aims.

Abeler serves on House health care committees.

Receives little debate

The bill, the outcome of scores of committee hearings dating back to last summer, received little debate on either floor.

House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, joked when entering the Governor's Office early Sunday that debate in the House would take about 15 seconds.

The health care bill wasn't the sole conference committee report passed by lawmakers.

An environment bill, which contains funding for the Little Falls Zoo, also passed the Legislature.

The House adjourned until 1 p.m. Sunday with the Senate checking out until 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

It's highly unusual for the Minnesota Legislature to be in session on a Sunday.

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