Task Force Discusses What To Do With MNsure

Oct. 24--Members of a state task force debated Friday in Rochester over what should be done with the state's health-insurance exchange, MNsure.

The Minnesota Health Care Financing Task Force met in the Heintz Center at Rochester Community and Technical College before a crowd of about 50 people. Lawmakers created the 29-member task force earlier this year to consider how to increase access to and improve the quality of health care in Minnesota. The task force's to-do list includes recommending what to do with MNsure and coming up with a list of recommendations by Jan. 15.

Joel Ario, managing director of Manatt Health Solutions, presented four MNsure options. They are leaving the state in charge of the exchange, partially privatizing the exchange, partnering with the federal government to handle key MNsure functions or getting rid of MNsure and moving to the federally operated exchange.

Ario said that when MNsure launched in 2014, it suffered "self-inflicted wounds" due to serious technical problems with the exchange's website. He said the website has gradually gotten better but it's critical the website work well or customers won't use it.

"It is all about the consumer. If people can't shop and get a good consumer experience, they are unlikely to stay with you as a customer, so that's job number one," Ario said.

Task force member Matt Dean, who is chairman of the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee, sponsored legislation to scrap MNsure and move to the federal exchange. He told lawmakers he realizes there will be costs associated with switching to the federal system, but that it is worth considering.

"We do understand that it will not be easy, cheap and simple," Dean said. "The Minnesota way for me would be to focus on the person who is receiving insurance, trying to cover their family and what is their experience?"

Dean said the state also needs to re-evaluate its MinnesotaCare insurance program, which covers low-income Minnesotans who earn too much to qualify for Medical Assistance. He said Minnesota is the only state that offers this type of health coverage and noted that a tax on health care providers that helps fund the program is set to expire in 2019.

"Don't assume this is currently paid for, because it is not," Dean said.

Task force member Tony Lourey, chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Budget Division, spoke out against moving to the federal exchange and getting rid of MinnesotaCare.

"We would be exceedingly unwise to just bow to a federal one-size-fits-all solution to our health care. I think it would move Minnesota significantly backwards," Lourey said.

Farmer Leslea Hodgson urged the committee not only to keep MinnesotaCare, but to consider expanding it. She said it has been a tremendous help for her and her husband, who have long struggled to afford health insurance. In the past, she said one of them has taken a mediocre-paying job just to get the employer-provided health insurance. The last plan they were offered had $750 per month premiums and a $4,500 deductible.

"MinnesotaCare has caused a heavy weight to be lifted off our shoulders," Hodgson said.

Rochester GOP Sen. Carla Nelson was among those in the audience watching the task force discussion. She said she is interested in the idea of privatizing some of the MNsure functions. She's skeptical about the state's ability to handle the technical aspects of the website, especially considering how quickly technology changes.

Nelson added, "I'm a little leery to think that government can run it."

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