11/15/2024 -- St. Paul says goodbye to medical debt

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Healthcare

St. Paul Wipes Out $37M of Medical Debt For 32,000 Residents 💲

The Summary: St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter announced that 32,000 residents will have their medical debt erased, totaling nearly $40 million. This relief, part of the Medical Debt Reset Initiative, was supported by $1.1 million from the American Rescue Plan.

How the Program Works: The Medical Debt Reset Initiative allows the city to buy unpaid medical debt for pennies on the dollar. Qualifying residents do not need to take any action to participate. Eligibility is based on either income or debt that exceeds 5% of annual income.

Impact and Future Goals: Mayor Carter emphasized that medical debt is a significant barrier to healthcare access, disproportionately affecting low-income residents and communities of color. The initiative is expected to improve credit scores, increase healthcare access, and reduce stress.

“This is about more than just eliminating debt. This is about eliminating one of the greatest barriers to healthcare access, giving people the chance to take control of their health.” -Mayor Melvin Carter

Business

❯ Low Gas Prices: Minnesota's average gas price has fallen to $2.95 per gallon, below the national average and among the lowest in over three years. Experts note the drop is due to seasonal demand changes, while global uncertainties like the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have recently driven price volatility.

❯ Lawsuit Against UHG: The U.S. Department of Justice, joined by three states, has filed a lawsuit to block UnitedHealth Group's $3.3 billion acquisition of Amedisys, citing concerns about reduced competition in the home health services market.

❯ Increasing Premiums: Leaders at Minnesota's largest nonprofit health insurers are warning that without an extension of enhanced federal tax credits and state reinsurance funding, individual health insurance premiums could surge by 55% in 2026, potentially leaving 93,000 residents without coverage.

❯ New Labor Standards Board: The Minneapolis City Council approved the creation of a Labor Standards Board despite opposition from some council members and the business community. The new board aims to advise on wages, benefits, and working conditions.

Minneapolis

Businesses In George Floyd Square Are Suing Minneapolis For $30M Over Loss Of Business and Propety Value

The Summary: A group of businesses at George Floyd Square has filed a lawsuit against the City of Minneapolis and Mayor Jacob Frey, seeking $30 million in damages. They claim that concrete barriers and a lack of policing have created an unsafe environment that has negatively impacted their businesses.

Business Impact and Alleged Losses: The businesses, all owned by the same family, argue the city’s actions since George Floyd's death have: Decreased property and business value, Reduced revenue, and harmed the area’s reputation due to increased crime

Legal Proceedings and Claims: The current lawsuit follows a prior suit, dismissed in September, that had initially sought $1.5 million. The new legal action, a writ of mandamus, urges the city to either compensate the businesses or start eminent domain proceedings:

City’s Response: While the city of Minneapolis has declined to comment on the pending litigation, a spokesperson acknowledged the difficulties businesses and residents have faced since George Floyd’s death. The city recently unveiled a “vision report” with plans to redesign George Floyd Square.

What Else We’re Reading…

Vasectomy Mishap Leads To $1.1M Payout

A Hennepin County jury awarded $1.1 million to Megan and Steven Szlachtowski after Minnesota Urology’s error led to an unplanned pregnancy despite the husband's vasectomy. The lawsuit argued for damages to cover the cost of raising the child and the physical and emotional toll of the pregnancy. While the defense sought to offset damages with the intangible value of raising a child, the jury ultimately awarded higher-than-requested sums for emotional and physical impacts, rejecting the offset argument.

Read the full story on the Star Tribune (Possible Paywall)

Read more on The Patch

Wordle

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Sports 🏀

🏀 The Minnesota Timberwolves lost their first two games of the NBA in-season tournament, both to the Portland Trailblazers. This is the first time the Wolves have lost three games in a row since the Western Conference Finals last year.

🏀 The Gopher Men’s Basketball team lost to North Texas after putting up just 14 points in the first half. The loss puts them at 2-1 on the season.

🏒 The Minnesota Wild return to action tonight against the Montreal Canadians after being off for three days. They currently hold the second best record in the NHL.

🏀 The Gopher Women’s Basketball team remains undefeated after a dominating win over UMass Lowell.

🏒 The Minnesota Frost has added 10 new staff members and coaches. They open the regular season on December 1st.

Quick hits

Headlines From Around The Twin Cities ✔

❯ The Minnesota Attorney General shut down a Minneapolis city councilor's wife's now-defunct nonprofit tied to Feeding Our Future (Kare11)

❯ Hennepin County will pay $3.4 million to family of man who died in jail (MPR)

❯ Forest Lake native Pete Hegseth has been picked by Trump to be defense secretary (Bring Me The News)

❯ 60 newly-planted trees were vandalized in St. Paul, causing $40K in damage (WCCO)

The Final Word: Holiday Shopping Spree 🎁

Minnesota shoppers are feeling optimistic about the economy according to a Deloitte Holiday Retail Survey. The average shopper in the Twin Cities metro is planning to spend over $1,700 which is up 15% from last year.

-Patrick