From ISAIAH, TakeAction Minnesota, The Land Steward Project and Minnesota Nurses Association
April 3, 2017 — “We are deeply disappointed that the state legislature passed and the Governor did not act to veto the “Reinsurance” bill. This program is a $542 million giveaway to health insurance companies. It was passed and allowed to become law despite the refusal of the insurance industry to provide any guarantees of affordability or provider choice. The program steals $400 million from a fund to provide healthcare to low-income Minnesotans, setting vulnerable Minnesotans on a course towards a crisis in coming years. The reinsurance program lacks accountability and will be overseen by a board that is stacked by the insurance industry itself.
We are especially disappointed as the legislature has failed to act on the MinnesotaCare buy-in option, as proposed by Governor Dayton. This sensible option would guarantee access to health insurance in every corner of the state and provide high-quality affordable healthcare coverage to all Minnesotans.
Especially in these times of federal attacks on healthcare, this is a drastic failure of vision and leadership on the part of our state government, as well as a powerful example of the extent of the corporate power to set public policy and control public dollars.”