Minnesota lawmakers split on next steps to address health care hikes
Republicans are balking at a call by Gov. Mark Dayton to reconvene a health care task force in the wake of insurance company proposals for big premium increases next year.
Insurers that sell individual policies are seeking jumps that range from 36 percent to 67 percent for 2017. They would affect about 5 percent of state residents — people who get their coverage outside of employer groups and government programs like Medicare.
Following the release of preliminary rates Thursday, Dayton said he would reconvene a task force on health care finance to look at the individual market, but Republicans panned the group’s track record.
The task force developed a series of proposals that were finalized in January, but couldn’t win support from Republicans who control the state House of Representatives. The proposals included expansion of MinnesotaCare, maintaining a tax collected by health care providers, and sticking with MNsure while reviewing its progress. All three DFL lawmakers on the panel supported the plan, while the two Republican legislators who voted were against it.
Read more: http://www.startribune.com/minnesota-lawmakers-split-on-task-force-for-health-insurance-rate-hikes/392210131/