Dear neighbor,
The IRS deadline for MNsure – the Minnesota arm of Obamacare – is set for Monday, March 31. This means that Minnesotans must select a plan and pay the premium in full to avoid penalties for not having health insurance. MNsure officials recently announced that Minnesotans have until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 31 to enroll or get “in line” for coverage. Click here to learn what qualifies as getting “in line” according to MNsure.
Those who are unable to purchase insurance or get “in line” by the deadline will face financial penalties.
· Minnesota families of four will have to pay a minimum penalty of $285 or 1% of their family income in 2014 for being unable to purchase insurance by the deadline. Starting in 2016 the penalty will increase to a minimum of $2,085 per family of four or 2.5% of their family income.
· MNsure’s own economists estimate nearly 50,000 Minnesotans will be fined.
Last week, MNsure released new enrollment numbers and claimed they were on the verge of reaching their goals. Current enrollment for commercial plans is 35,610. This figure is 87% below projections. When Democrats passed and Governor Dayton signed the state government-run health insurance exchange into law, they said 270,000 Minnesotans would sign up in the commercial market in 2014. It’s very clear these Democrat claims do not add up. If enrollment does not improve, all Minnesotans will pay more in higher premiums and higher taxes for a program that failed to live up to Governor Dayton's and Democrats' promises.
I’m truly saddened when I hear from constituents who have lost the doctor they like or are paying more for their health plan through higher deductibles and higher premiums – not to mention higher taxes – because of Obamacare’s implementation in Minnesota. While our system in Minnesota was not perfect prior to the creation of MNsure, it was a leader for the nation in terms of quality, cost, and access and did not need fundamental change.
CITY OF BLUFFTON
I’ve authored a bill – House File 3289 – to help the City of Bluffton. The city did not receive the local government aid intended for them in 2011, 2012, and 2013 due to a clerical error. City officials have corrected the issue and my proposal would direct those funds to the city so they have the money they need to carry out core functions for their citizens and keep property taxes low.
If you have any questions about tax changes or concerns relating to any state legislative issue, please feel free to contact me by e-mail at Rep.Mary.Franson@House.MN or call my office at 651-296-3201. You can also send mail to my office address: 211 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.
Sincerely,
Mary