WINONA, Minn. (KTTC) \u2013 U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, campaigning as the DFL candidate for governor, visited Winona on Friday afternoon to unveil a comprehensive plan to address critical healthcare shortages and rising costs in Greater Minnesota.<\/p>\n
The stop was part of her annual campaign tour to visit all 87 counties across the state.<\/p>\n
Klobuchar\u2019s newly proposed \u201cMinnesota Healthcare Future\u201d plan focuses heavily on expanding career pipelines, using active local programs like the one at Winona Health as models for statewide expansion.<\/p>\n
The initiative aims to double the state\u2019s apprenticeships from 5,000 to 10,000.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t fill open jobs at our hospitals if we don\u2019t have the people to fill them,\u201d Klobuchar said. \u201cWe need more training pathways that encourage medical professionals to live and work in the communities that need it the most. My plan will expand pathways to good jobs in healthcare and other growing fields.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to workforce recruitment, Klobuchar said her plan seeks to counter recent federal cuts by implementing a state-level tax credit designed to reduce rising insurance premiums. The proposal also calls for expanding Minnesota\u2019s bulk prescription drug purchasing groups to secure lower costs for patients.<\/p>\n
In a statement to KTTC, Republican gubernatorial candidate Lisa Demuth also shared her plan for healthcare in Minnesota: <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Walz\/Klobuchar status quo isn\u2019t working for Minnesota. As a 20-year Washington insider, Klobuchar has done nothing to control health care costs. As House Speaker, Lisa Demuth continued Minnesota\u2019s nation-leading reinsurance plan, which was put in place initially because of the failures of Amy Klobuchar and other Washington politicians in D.C.\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201dAs governor, Lisa will increase competition and plan choices for Minnesota, continue the great bipartisan work that was done last session to support our rural hospitals, and continue to root out fraud in our state programs that drives up costs for taxpayers.” <\/p>\n