Sen. Franken Introduces “Public Option” Legislation to Help Stabilize Health Care Costs in Minnesota

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As Republicans Prepare to Jeopardize Health Care Access for Millions of Americans, Senator Introduces Actual Plan To Increase Competition in Insurance Market, Cut Premium Costs, Save Taxpayers Money

Senator Al Franken has helped introduce a new measure to stabilize health costs and improve access to quality coverage ?by creating a "Public Option" insurance plan nationally. The proposal is similar to the plan Governor Mark Dayton released earlier this week to expand Minnesota Care at the state level.

The Consumer Health Options and Insurance Competition Enhancement (CHOICE) Act would guarantee that all people have access to an affordable, quality, health insurance plan on the individual marketplaces in Minnesota and other states across the country. At a time when Republicans are trying to repeal vital consumer protections and benefits, Sen. Franken is working with his colleagues to strengthen the law and improve options available to consumers.

"Hard working families in Minnesota and across the nation need access to affordable, quality health care." Sen. Franken said. "That's why I'm in favor of building on the Affordable Care Act and pushing real reforms for families and people that need help now, rather than repealing the law and pulling the rug out from millions of Americans without a real replacement. Creating a public option will help stabilize prices in the private insurance market, increase competition, cut premiums, and save taxpayers in Minnesota and across our country billions of dollars. If Republicans in Congress are serious about keeping down health care costs for Americans, they should pass this bill."?

Sen. Franken has long supported a public option to increase competition and cut premium costs. He backed the idea of a public option in 2009 during debate over the Affordable Care Act. The CHOICE Act would create a public option subject to all the same requirements that apply to other plans offered on Obamacare exchanges. It would offer the same premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions available to individual marketplace consumers. You can read more about the bill, which Sen. Franken introduced with Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), here https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Public%20Option%20One-Pager.pdf.