Tim Walz on health care: 7 things to know about Harris' VP pick

Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, today picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her vice president — and may have signaled that she’ll be tilting toward the center on health policy issues and other benefits issues.

Walz, 60, was born in West Point, Nebraska, and earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Chadron State College and later a master’s degree in educational leadership from Minnesota State University in Mankato.

He also joined the Nebraska Army National Guard and later moved to the Minnesota Army National Guard.

When he left the National Guard in 2005, he had attained the rank of master sergeant and was operating as a command sergeant major, meaning that he was the top enlisted office for a command. He specialized in operating heavy artillery, and he served in Europe during the response to the Sept. 11, 2001, Al Qaeda attacks, according to a Minnesota Public Radio account that appeared in 2018.

At Minnesota, he worked as a high school teacher and football coach.

He served as a Democrat in the U.S. House from 2007 through 2019, then was elected governor of Minnesota in November 2018. He took office in 2019. He won reelection in 2022.

Harris, who now serves as President Joe Biden’s vice president, says on her website that she picked Walz because he is a “champion for America’s working families” who has “done more to help middle-class families get ahead than any other statewide leader in recent menu.”

Here are seven more things about Walz to know, for benefits professionals.

1. Walz has been a steadfast supporter of veterans benefits legislation.

While he was in the House, he sponsored and cosponsored many bills related to matters such as mental health benefits and caregiver support benefits for veterans.

One bill that was signed into law was the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act bill, which called for Veterans Affairs officials to create a mental health resources website along with a number of pilot programs, such as a loan repayment program for would-be psychiatrists who agreed to practice in Veterans Health Administration hospitals.

Another Walz bill that became the law required the federal Transportation Security Administration to comply with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, the federal law that protects the jobs and benefits of members of the Guard and the Reserve who are called up to active duty.

2. Walz never cosponsored the main House “Medicare for All” bills.

The bills are reintroduced every year and would replace all current private major medical insurance and supplemental health insurance arrangements with a government-run health finance system.

During the 115th Congress, for example, which was Walz’ last term in the House and began in 2017, 125 House members backed the Expanded & Improved Medicare for All Act bill, but Walz was not on the list.

3. He runs a state with a state-run Affordable Care Act public exchange and a kind of Medicaid buy-in program.

This year, the exchange, MNsure, administers health coverage enrollment and federal premium tax credit subsidies for about 146,000 of Minnesota’s 5.7 million residents.

MinnesotaCare, which resembles a Medicaid buy-in program for moderately low-income residents, has about 116,000 enrollees.

Walz has also backed efforts to create a “public option” program, or state-negotiated, state-managed health plan aimed at higher-income residents looking for an alternative to traditional commercial health coverage.

4. He has a strong personal interest in personal health.

Walz’ and his wife, Gwen, have two children. They had one of their children using reproductive health support services.

Related: Minnesota becomes first state to pass abortion protections bill after “Dobbs”

5. Walz has been experimenting with efforts to hold drug costs down in Minnesota.

Walz signed a 2020 bill that created the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act, which provides one-time emergency access to a 30-day supply of insulin for a $35 co-pay and ongoing, 90-day supplies of insulin with a maximum co-pay of $50 per prescription for up to one year.

6. Walz has had frequent contacts with UnitedHealth, its employees and its political action committee.

UnitedHealth has lobbied Walz heavily on access to Medicaid program bidding since he became governor.

The health insurer’s PACs and employees contributed at least $83,000 to his House campaigns while he was in and running for Congress, according to Federal Election Commission records.

7. Walz might have heard plenty about long-term care, and broken legs.

Health care labor groups contributed to Walz far more often than hospitals or physician groups.

But Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, an insurer with a strong long-term care insurance program, and a nursing home group have contributed about $53,000 to Walz over the years.

Orthopedic surgeons, their groups and other individuals and organizations with an interest in bones and joints may have done even more to attract Walz’ attention: FEC records show they’ve contributed about $83,000 to his campaigns over the years.