Governor Mark Dayton on Thursday night signed into law legislation giving a state-paid 25 percent discount in 2017 to those hit with big health insurance premium increases in the individual market — an estimated 125-thousand Minnesotans. The governor says he appreciates Republicans agreeing to his plan to provide the premium relief as quickly as possible — officials say probably by the end of April, plus retroactive refunds for 2017 premiums people will have already paid. Dayton also applauds a provision allowing seriously ill patients to keep their current doctor during their ongoing course of treatment. But the governor says he does not agree with other changes Republicans insisted on — most notably, allowing out-of-state and for-profit insurance companies to sell health insurance policies in Minnesota.
As the House passed the bill late Thursday, Prinsburg Republican Tim Miller called it a good day:
Eagan Democrat Laurie Halverson voted for the bill because it has premium relief, but warns about other unvetted changes to what she calls a very delicate health care system:
Rochester Democrat Tina Liebling says:
Republicans respond Democrats took health insurance the wrong direction when they pushed MNsure through. House Majority Leader Joyce Peppin says: