Health care relief bill passed, signed

The Minnesota House overwhelmingly approved the conference committee report for Senate File 1 on a vote of 108-19, recently. The bill provides a 25 percent premium reduction to Minnesotans who do not qualify for MNsure tax credits on the individual market and includes key Republican-led reforms to preserve care for those receiving life-saving treatments and increase competition and consumer choice moving forward. The bill passed the Senate with bipartisan support.

“Even though we have divided government in St. Paul, we were able to work across party lines and provide health insurance premium relief and overdue reforms,” said Rep. Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls, Dist. 9B. “Our health care system is such a mess, but these reforms will help increase competition and choice while preserving access for those in need. I’m encouraged by these early steps in the first month of session.”

“Rural Minnesotans can celebrate a victory today,” said Rep. John Poston, R-Lake Shore, Dist. 9A. “Greater Minnesota suffered the most from these high health insurance costs. I am grateful that those who have been struggling to pay their premiums and deductibles will be receiving relief.”

GOP-led reforms included in the final bill include:

o Allowing for-profit HMOs to operate in Minnesota (like most states) which will increase options for consumers

o Modifying stop loss coverage to make it easier for more small businesses to offer affordable insurance to their employees.

o Providing greater transparency for proposed insurance premium changes by requiring earlier disclosure of proposed rates.

o Allowing Agricultural Cooperatives to offer group health insurance to their members so farmers and their families can get better access to care and more affordable coverage.

o Ensuring Minnesota employees can benefit from the recently passed federal 21st Century Cures Act which allows employers to make pre-tax contributions toward employee health insurance costs.

o Network adequacy reform that will assist in ensuring more options for residents in rural Minnesota.

o Prohibiting surprise billing to protect consumers from previously undisclosed costs.

“Today’s bill is a first step in a session-long effort to address the problems created by Obamacare and MNsure,” said House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown. “As the first month of session comes to a close, Republican majorities have shown an ability to get things done for Minnesotans and to work productively with the governor.”

“In order to provide urgently-needed health insurance premium relief to 125,000 Minnesotans, I am signing this essential legislation,” said Gov. Mark Dayton. “I do not agree with everything included in it. I have said repeatedly that I think it is unnecessary and unwise to rush the ‘reforms’ added to this bill, without proper public review or full consideration of their consequences. I am especially concerned that the change to allow foreign and for-profit insurers into the Minnesota market has not been adequately reviewed, and I ask the legislature to seriously re-evaluate this provision, when future health care legislation is considered.

“However, I appreciate that the bill’s Conferees agreed to my proposed mechanism to provide this premium relief as quickly as possible. And I commend the House leadership for championing the important ‘Continuity of Care’ addition to the bill.

“I also appreciate the Senate leadership’s willingness to set aside, for now, the reinsurance provision, which I have urged be given more careful consideration through the appropriate legislative committees. And I am relieved that the Conferees wisely rejected the House amendment, which would have removed important health care protections for Minnesotans.

“The Legislature and I must now turn our attention to making good health care coverage available and affordable for all Minnesotans. As I said the other night, ‘If we all give a little, Minnesotans will gain a lot.’ That spirit prevailed in negotiating this legislation. May it continue,” Dayton concluded.

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