Health insurance premiums in Minnesota’s individual market will drop significantly in 2019, but Senate Republicans say in the future they want a better approach than using taxpayer dollars to hold down premium increases — what’s called “reinsurance”. But Ham Lake Senator Michelle Benson warns single-payer health care — which Democratic candidate for governor Tim Walz says he supports — is not workable. She asks, “What happens to Greater Minnesota care systems when we have all government funding and no private insurance? Because the cost subsidy is huge.”
Walz responds his vision for health care “focuses on bringing down the cost of care and expanding coverage from a variety of angles.” His campaign indicates any extension of government programs would be phased in, to minimize impact on the state budget.
More in this interview with Benson: (Walz was not available for an interview.)