Ironically, this provision's inclusion helped garner the votes of many conservative Republican members who have traditionally voted against the Health and Human Services funding bill. One of the biggest accomplishments of the 1997 Legislature was the passing of a welfare reform bill. It will not be an entitlement and shall be budgeted for according to the forecast. Assistance under MFIP will be limited to five years in a lifetime. A 30 day residency requirement is established.
Emphasis is placed on job training and rewarding work.
Among the more significant changes were the elimination of the Minnesota Health Care Commission and changes in the financing of the MNCare program. The reduced tax rate will be extended for another two years if there is no structural deficit in the health care access fund. The final tax rate was the product of much legislative positioning and negotiation. In other changes to the MNCare tax, pharmacies were exempted from the provider tax, but persons selling or repairing hearing aids or related equipment and prescription eyewear were specifically included in the definition of providers subject to the provider tax. Hospitals and health care providers may claim a credit against their tax obligation for qualifying research.