Saint Cloud, MINN— On Friday, the Minnesota Department of Commerce revealed final MNsure rates will increase 50 percent or more, on top of the increases of up to 17 percent and 49 percent Minnesotans have faced over the past two years.
Additionally, the Minnesota Department of Commerce approved enrollment caps that will limit Minnesotans' access to federal financial assistance and their ability to find health care coverage. Enrollment caps limit the number of new enrollees for certain insurers who sell insurance on the individual market. Due to MNsure's inability to accurately process applications in a timely manner, Minnesotans who attempt to enroll through MNsure could be left without coverage through no fault of their own. Those who enroll directly with an insurer typically receive confirmation of coverage immediately.
“Folks in Central Minnesota are seeing another year of unaffordable double-digit price hikes and a health care exchange that is failing Minnesotans,” said Rep. Tama Theis (R-St. Cloud). “The state leaders who created MNsure promised people that they would save money on their health insurance, and instead the norm has become unprecedented cost increases every year. It’s time for state leaders to come together to implement meaningful reforms that reduce the cost of health care and address our broken exchange.”
On Friday, House Republicans including Rep. Theis also sent a letter to Governor Dayton demanding immediate action on a law signed by him in 2015 requiring the Department of Commerce to seek a waiver that would allow Minnesotans to access tax credits off of the MNsure exchange. Over 75 percent of people who buy health insurance on their own do not receive any financial assistance from MNsure, undermining MNsure's claims that tax credits will offset massive rate increases.