Sandstede Statement on House GOP Health Insurance Bill

ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 19 -- The Minnesota House Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus issued the following news release:

On a vote of 73-54, the Minnesota House tonight passed a bill to create a health insurance subsidy program for those on the individual market. These Minnesotans have seen premiums increase in the neighborhood of 60 percent. As opposed to Gov. Mark Dayton's plan which provides Minnesotans a 25 percent rebate toward premiums immediately, the bill passed tonight, SF1, makes them wait until 2018 to see relief. It also contains many major reforms to state health insurance policy which were given limited public input.

Rep. Julie Sandstede (DFL - Hibbing) released the following statement:

"The premium increases these 125,000 Minnesotans are facing aren't acceptable, and it's disappointing that we couldn't come together to pass a clean bill giving these folks relief right away.

"I'm also disappointed at the troubling pattern from the House GOP majority to attach unnecessary, sweeping provisions to simple, targeted proposals addressing economic urgencies. We saw this last year when they delayed an unemployment extension for out-of-work steelworkers on the Iron Range for weeks on end. Instead of passing this right away, the GOP majority held this extension hostage for an unrelated tax cut favored by big businesses. Now, we are seeing a similar tactic from them on this insurance premium bill.

"As I begin my time in the legislature, I sincerely hope that this isn't a trend. Soon, I hope the House GOP majority can see the importance of doing the right thing, and we can come together to deliver the premium relief Minnesotans are counting on."

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