St. Paul- Department of Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson sent a letter on July 9, 2015 to lawmakers revealing the latest setback at MNsure, 180,000 Minnesotans on Medical Assistance (MA) and MinnesotaCare are having their renewals delayed. On Monday, House Health and Human Services Chair Matt Dean (R-Dellwood) and Rep. Greg Davids (R-Preston), MNsure Legislative Oversight Committee Representative called on Governor Dayton to develop a transition plan for MNsure.
“The problems at MNsure are systemic, cultural and they are hurting Minnesotans. The recent discovery that 180,000 Minnesotans are stuck in limbo because of persistent issues at our state exchange is yet another indication we need to take action. It is time for those who championed MNSure -- Governor Dayton, his commissioners and DFL lawmakers – to recognize its failed record, hold MNsure leaders accountable and join with us to establish a transition plan,” said Chair Dean.
According to Commissioner Jesson, state officials are on the cusp of cancelling insurance for 60,000 working families because of unreturned paperwork, but aren’t sure they even received the correct paperwork and another 120,000 people on Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare have had policy renewals delayed because of system failures. News of Minnesota’s state exchange backlog came on the heels of the Supreme Court decision in the King v. Burwell case which determined that federal tax credits are also available to citizens in states using the Federal Health Care Exchange under the Affordable Care Act. Initially, the exclusive availability of federal tax credits through state-created exchanges was a major selling point in building Minnesota’s $200 million state exchange, MNsure.
“Since lawmakers adjourned session, two major developments impacting the future of Obamacare in Minnesota have occurred. Enough is enough – we have an opportunity to put an end to the headaches MNsure is causing Minnesota families. The MNsure Legislative Oversight Committee should meet immediately to establish clear benchmarks that must be met, and begin developing a transition plan for MNsure,” added Chair Davids.
MNSURE’S FAILED RECORD: Timeline of the Past Year of Frustration for Minnesotans
July 2014: glitches force 16,000 low-income families to wait as long as six months for coverage (Star Tribune, 7/2/2014)
July 2014: 3,000 MinnesotaCare recipients sent wrong bills by DHS, some for months (KSTP, 7/21/2014)
July 2014: DHS incorrectly tells 8,700 MinnesotaCare recipients to renew by 8/1/2015 or coverage would cancel (Pioneer Press, 7/28/2014)
September 2014: 29,000 on private and public plans waiting months to update coverage through DHS and MNsure for spouses, newborns, other life events (Pioneer Press, 9/1/2014)
September 2014: DHS indefinitely delays transition of 800,000 insured through public programs to MNsure (Pioneer Press, 9/1/2014)
November 2014: DHS/MNsure life event backlog grows to 30,000 (Star Tribune, 11/4/2014)
January 2015: MNsure glitches block 7,500 from enrolling in public programs (Star Tribune, 1/13/2015)
March 2015: 1,300 still waiting for tax forms from MNsure – one month before tax filing deadline (Star Tribune, 3/6/2015)
March 2015: MNsure cuts enrollment projections by 68 percent for 2016
May 2015: MNsure glitches put coverage for over 55,000 on public programs in question (Star Tribune, 5/11/2015)
July 2015: 180,000 public program renewals delayed by MNsure glitch; 60,000 threatened with termination of coverage (Star Tribune, 7/11/2015)
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