ST. PAUL – Minnesota families and individuals who buy insurance on their own could pay an average increase of around 60 percent more for the upcoming year, according to information released on Healthcare.gov Thursday.
Premiums in the MNsure health insurance exchange have risen each of the three years prices have been set, but the current hike is projected to be the largest once updated numbers are finalized in the coming weeks. Thursday’s preliminary rate increases are on top of increases of up to 17 percent and 49 percent in the past two years.
“MNsure simply is not sustainable in its current form,” said Rep. Dean Urdahl, R-Acton Township. “If there is a silver lining from today’s news, it may be that things have gotten so bad people will no longer be able to turn a blind eye toward this program. MNsure reform needs to be a top priority for the 2017 session.”
During the 2016 legislative session, Urdahl supported legislation to reduce the MNsure tax which would have saved families at least $22 million over the next three years. The measure passed the House, but was vocally opposed by Democrat legislators and was not enacted.
“What we have in MNsure is a $400 million taxpayer-funded website that is failing to perform its most basic function of providing people accessible, affordable health insurance,” Urdahl said. “MNsure architects pitched Minnesotans by saying the exchange would save people $500 per year. Reality is telling a different story and it’s time to make improvements.”
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