WE WILL COME BACK TO THAT IN A BIT.

LET'S MOVE ON TO A QUESTION FROM ONE OF OUR RURAL VIEWERS WHO IS CONCERNED ABOUT RURAL HOSPITALS AND REIMBURSEMENT READS FOR RURAL HOSPITALS, AND RURAL HEALTHCARE HAS BECOME VERY MUCH A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE, PART OF THE STATE THAT I'M FROM, SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA, ORIGINALLY THEY ARE HAVING PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ISSUES IN THAT REGARD.

LET'S START WITH YOU, REPRESENTATIVE MCDONALD, AND THE SESSION MOVING AND EFFECTS, AND REIMBURSEMENT RATES OR FINANCIAL VIABILITY.

>> THANK YOU.

I SURE HOPE THERE IS, BECAUSE OUR RURAL HOSPITALS AND RURAL NURSING HOMES ARE IN DIRE STRAIGHTS.

SOME ARE FORCING FORECLOSURE IN THE RURAL DISTRICTS OF MINNESOTA.

THAT'S GOING TO BE DETRIMENTAL FOR AREAS.

WITH THE 17 1/2 BILLION DOLLARS SURPLUS, I HOPE A SIGNIFICANT RATE INCREASE FOR OUR FOLKS WHO ARE TAKING CARE OF THE ELDERLY AND THE SICK AND THOSE WHO ARE NOAA NEED AND REALLY HELP GET THAT FUNDING NECESSARY FOR OUR RURAL HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES.

SO FAR I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING.

MAYBE SENATOR DIBBLE HAS OR SENATOR PRATT.

YOU I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANYTHING.

BUT REALLY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE PRIORITIES OF DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, AND PARTICULARLY THE MAJORITY, THE DFL, THEIR NO.

1 PRIORITY SHOULD HAVE BEEN OR AT LEAST THE TOP 10, ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR RURAL HOSPITALS IN NURSING HOMES.

>> Barry: RURAL HEALTHCARE FUNDING, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE TO SHARE WITH US?

>> ACTUALLY BEFORE I CAME ON THIS FALL, I CAME OUT OF A CONVERSATION WITH THE CHAIR ABOUT THE SERVICES COMMITTEE AND ABSOLUTELY LONG-TERM CARE FUNDING, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, REIMBURSEMENT RATES IS A HUGE PRIORITY.

IT'S A BIG ASPECT OF THAT AND SHORTAGE OF STAFFING AS WELL.

SO OUR HOSPITALS, OUR NURSING HOMES, OUR ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, THOSE WHO RELY ON HEALTHCARE SERVICES IN THEIR HOMES, THE WAIVER SERVICES AND PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANTS, IT IS NOTHING LESS THAN A CRISIS HAPPENING.

AND I THINK THERE'S STRONG RECOGNITION OF THAT, AND A HUGE DESIRE TO BE WILLING, REALLY MAKING SURE WE HAVE GOT WORKERS IN PLACE AND ACCESS TO THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.

MY OWN BROTHER-IN-LAW WAS ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND LITERALLY TOOK HIM FOUR DAYS IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM BEFORE HE GOT UP TO A ROOM.

HE NEEDED SURGERY, COULDN'T GO HOME, COULDN'T GET HIM IN.

>> Barry: SENATOR PRATT, I THINK WE HAVE THE TECHNICAL ISSUES RESOLVED.

WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT ON REAL HEALTHCARE AND REQUEST ASK YOU TO CLEAN UP ON THE MET COUNCIL THING.

START WITH RURAL HEALTHCARE.

>> SURE.

YOU KNOW, HEALTHCARE IS A HUGE PART OF OUR BUDGET AS WE GO FORWARD.

IT MAKES UP ABOUT 30% OF WHAT WE SPEND.

YOU KNOW, AS REPRESENTATIVE MCDONALD TALKED ABOUT, IT'S ABOUT TAKING CARE OF OUR ELDERLY IN SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE ADULTS.

I SAT ON THE BOARD OF ST. GERTRUDE'S IN SHAKOPEE.

WE ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND PEOPLE COME IN AND WORK.

WE CAN'T AFFORD THE REIMBURSEMENTS WE ARE GIVING FOR THE SERVICES BEING PROVIDED DON'T COVER THE COSTS OF PEOPLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.

WE DO NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE FUNDING OUR HEALTHCARE AT A RATE, WHETHER IT'S GROUP HOME, WHETHER IT'S RAWAL HOSPITAL, WHETHER IT'S LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES, AT A RATE THAT COVERS OUR COST.