EDITORIAL: More details are needed on MinnesotaCare buy-in option
Now it's time for lawmakers to hear from consumers and independent analysts as debate over this high-profile reform ramps up. In particular, experts untethered to the insurance industry deserve equal airtime before the Republican-controlled
The MinnesotaCare buy-in holds promise as a new option to hold down costs for those struggling to afford individual market coverage, which serves an estimated 162,000 Minnesotans who do not get health insurance through an employer or other government programs such as Medicare. Independent analysis of a buy-in is critical so that policymakers can vet this proposal and fully grasp the opportunities to tailor the reform in a way that would best help Minnesotans.
The critical report presented at the
Gov.-elect
MinnesotaCare was passed in 1992 and helps those who don't qualify for traditional medical assistance but can't comfortably afford private insurance. While buy-in customers wouldn't be subsidized, meaning they'd pay substantially more than current MinnesotaCare enrollees, it's hoped that the program's efficiencies would allow this coverage to compete favorably with plans currently offered by private insurers on the individual market.
Funding for the state's temporary "reinsurance" program, which lowered premiums for those buying on the individual market, expires after 2019, creating urgency for lawmakers to explore less costly options. Legislators passed the reinsurance program in 2017, authorizing up to
One reason that a MinnesotaCare buy-in is under consideration is its built-in popularity, with the concept enjoying 70 percent approval in a recent
The report also assumes that the buy-in would not attract a key group of consumers because it would be offered on MNsure, the state's online marketplace. Blewett said the state could make a "concerted outreach" to address this.
Another dubious assumption, Blewett said, is that the state's reinsurance program would simply disappear, when it's likely that some version of it would continue even if a buy-in is passed. The buy-in would take time to implement, and reinsurance could act as a bridge to prevent the steep price hikes the report predicted. Lawmakers could also mitigate the problems predicted by the report by passing a state mandate to buy health insurance.
The same advice about listening to independent experts applies to MinnesotaCare buy-in advocates. Details are still needed about premium costs, benefits and annual deductibles. The Editorial Board also has concerns about implementation, given MNsure's glitch-filled start and the shaky state human services information technology platform.
The
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