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 in 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.
“This is some real sticker-shock,” said Rep. Paul Anderson, R-Starbuck. “We expected there would be an increase on premiums, but this is a significant issue. Things can’t continue going down this path.”
During the 2016 legislative session, Anderson 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.
“We have to make some changes during the 2017 session to correct some rather large sustainability issues with MNsure that have been ignored for too long,” Anderson said. “In the meantime people are feeling the impact and are going to face yet another increase in the cost of health insurance.”
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