GAMC funding

The Justice Commission Office will be partnering with St. Stephen's Human Services and 32 other organizations around the state of Minnesota to protest the termination of General Assistance Medical Care. This action will take place tomorrow, December 22nd from 10am-11am at the Administration Center of the Sister of St. Joseph, at 1884 Randolph Ave. Participants in the action will read 1,000 names - the names of Minnesotans whose health care coverage will be eliminated when the GAMC program ends. These lists will be read at 33 sites to represent the 33,000 citizens who are covered by this program at any given time in the state.
GAMC enrollees typically:

• Live in rural, suburban, and urban communities across Minnesota. Anoka, Dakota, Stearns and Olmsted counties all have significant numbers of GAMC enrollees, along with Ramsey and Hennepin counties.
• Earn an income at or below 75% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines ($8,100 a year)
• Have greater likelihood of chemical health or mental health needs: 70% of enrollees have a mental health and/or chemical health diagnosis
• Are disproportionately people of color, especially African-American and Native Americans

In the words of Governor Pawlenty's health commissioner, they are the "poorest of the poor and sickest of the sick." The end of General Assistance Medical Care would mean that most of the recipients of this coverage would be rolled over to MinnesotaCare, the state program for the working poor. This is not a feasible alternative for many GAMC enrollees - the premiums are higher under MinnesotaCare, and the hospital coverage is limited. There is currently a four month wait for enrollment into MinnesotaCare, as well, a gap in coverage that could make a critical difference for the stability of many GAMC enrollees.

For more information on this issue, you can read this excellent op-ed piece by State Representatives Denise Dittrich and Maria Ruud.

If you would like to join us in protesting the termination of GAMC, please call 651-690-7087, or email dolores.ohmans@gmail.com.