Johnson gives public health insurance option another go

Jan. 10--Rep. Clark Johnson has brought a proposal to put MinnesotaCare on the health insurance market back to life.

The North Mankato DFLer revived the bill Monday in the House as lawmakers gear up for public discussions on how best to curb skyrocketing insurance premiums in Minnesota's individual insurance markets.

He and former Sen. Kathy Sheran of Mankato brought the proposal last year as part of a series of Senate DFL health care reforms. Though the Senate passed the bill, it didn't receive a hearing in the House.

That may change this year, as DFL and GOP lawmakers have promised to consider long-term health care reform during the legislative session. Thirty-four DFL representatives joined Johnson as co-authors of this year's bill. Democrat Tony Lourey of Kerrick -- the ranking minority member on the Senate health and human services committee -- has introduced it in Minnesota's other legislative body.

"It's clear that Minnesotans need options, and that there's problems with the private individual markets," Johnson said. "If we could achieve this, it would offer Minnesotans a really good option on MNsure."

The bill mandates the Minnesota Department of Human Services seek a waiver from federal officials to allow MinnesotaCare to be sold on the state health insurance exchange. It also orders state officials to look into how MinnesotaCare could be sold to cover at least 87 percent of average health care costs at a less-than-average rate, as well as how that would affect the state's health insurance market.

"This is simply a waiver to examine this as an option," Sheran said last year. "It comes back to the Legislature and we can talk then about whether or not we want to implement it."

MinnesotaCare would still be offered for free to residents whose income falls below $23,540 for individuals and $48,500 for a family of four.

Lawmakers expect to pass short-term health insurance relief within the next two weeks. From there, the Republican-controlled Legislature will discuss long-term health care reform in what promises to be one of the larger debates of the session. GOP leaders have previously discussed switching from MNsure to the federal health insurance market and allowing more for-profit insurance companies to sell in Minnesota.

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