ST. PAUL – On January 19, the Minnesota House of Representatives began to ease the health insurance devastation being felt by tens of thousands of residents by approving an immediate health care premium relief and reform proposal.
State Representative Greg Davids (R-Preston) said the bill is critically needed.
“House Republicans are very concerned about the very large premium increases that Minnesotans have been forced to endure over the past few years,” Davids said. “This bill provides relief for roughly 25 percent of the premium costs for those Minnesotans who do not have group plans or are not on government programs.”
The plan utilizes $300 million from state budget reserves in order to provide premium relief to eligible recipients and continuity of care in certain situations where patients have lost the ability to see their existing doctor in-network.
The bill also contains a number of reforms designed to improve options and increase patient access to care, including allowing for-profit insurance companies to operate in Minnesota, allowing them to create more competition for business and drive down consumer costs.
“The market is very crippled for 2017, and some insurance company CEO’s say if we don’t enact some reform this session there won’t be a market for 2018,” Davids said. “Not one Republican voted for any of this Obamacare and MNsure nonsense but we are willing to work very hard to clean up this mess because Minnesotans are being crushed by high premiums and a lack of access to quality health care.”
Davids expects even more health insurance reform bills to be debated as session moves forward.