The three female Democratic candidates for Minnesota governor all said they support single-payer health care at a forum in Duluth this afternoon, while their three male rivals were noncommittal. Rochester Representative Tina Liebling says Minnesota needs to move toward single-payer health care: “First of all, we need to get the H-M-O’s out of our public programs.” Saint Paul Representative Erin Murphy says, allow anyone to buy health insurance through MinnesotaCare and adds, “It’s time to contract directly with providers across the state and move the H-M-Os out.” State Auditor Rebecca Otto told the audience, “I will be releasing a plan that is a universal health system, publicly financed, guaranteed quality, affordable.”
Minneapolis Representative Paul Thissen says he supports “Medicare for all as well” but offered no further details. Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and First District Congressman Tim Walz were noncommittal on the issue of single-payer health care.
The forum was hosted by the AFSCME state employees union and no Republican candidates were invited.