Franken: Minn. to receive $15B from federal health reform

Democratic Senator Al Franken Friday said new federal health reform legislation will give Minnesota and other states more money to dismantle barriers to good health.

Franken told a University of Minnesota audience that the new law provides $15 billion over ten years.

He said communities can use the money to increase access to fruits and vegetables, physical activity, immunizations and other activities that promote health.

"This is money expressly devoted to support new community prevention programs that focus on changing policies in cities and neighborhoods and schools and small communities," Franken said. "The goal is to remove barriers in our physical and social environment that make it hard for people to make healthy choices."

Minnesota has some of the highest health disparities in the country, despite the state's well-regarded health care system.