The conversation about the development of a Minnesota Health Benefits Exchange is moving quickly at the State Capitol. Beginning in 2014, over 1 million Minnesotans are expected to use the Exchange to choose among health coverage options and obtain federal tax credits to offset the cost of that coverage. The Exchange is a key component of the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010.
GOP legislators have introduced a series of bills that construct pieces of a health insurance exchange driven by the insurance industry. Senator Gerlach (Apple Valley) has a proposal to establish an Exchange that has no ability to serve the interests of consumers. Senator Hann (Eden Prairie) has introduced proposals to divert tax credits under the Exchange into thousands of industry insurance brokers. Senator Hann also has a proposal to restrict entities who can fully serve as “navigators” in the Exchange to only licensed brokers. TakeAction and our allies have been working hard to uncover the true intent of these proposals — to hand over our Exchange to the insurance industry — and voice our opposition to this approach to the Exchange.
Meanwhile, Senator Hayden and Representative Erin Murphy have introduced a proposal that would construct an Exchange designed to work for consumers. The “Healthy Minnesota Exchange” proposal would be able to negotiate for better prices and quality for health care coverage, support community-based organizations to serve as navigators in the new system, and ensure that individuals can easily move into public or private health coverage, depending on what works best for their families. We are proud to be working with these legislative champions for Minnesotans on an Exchange that improves people’s health rather than increasing insurance company profits.
TakeAction members and leaders continue to play critical leadership roles on this issue. Over 400 individuals from TakeAction Minnesota and six other organizations gathered on Sunday with members of the Legislature and Comissioner Michael Rothman to call attention to the needs of people in the health exchange. TakeAction leaders have also testified on the Exchange at the Legislature, participated in working groups of the Health Exchange Task Force, joined meetings with legislators and contacted Governor Dayton. Just today they are at the Capitol visiting their legislators to say we don’t trust the insurance industry to run our Exchange.
Our work on the Exchange also coincided with the second anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. On March 23, two key TakeAction Minnesota leaders joined a small roundtable with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Governor Mark Dayton, Senator Al Franken, Congresswoman Betty McCollum that highlighted the significant benefits the ACA is offering women in Minnesota and around the country.
TakeAction Minnesota will continue to work in the remaining days of session to fend off industry-driven attacks on the Exchange, and construct an Exchnage that fulfills its potential for a healthier and more equitable Minnesota.
Liz Doyle
Liz Doyle is TakeAction Minnesota’s Associate Director.
