Dear Neighbors,
The Legislative Auditor’s report on MNsure was released this week, revealing a more in depth analysis of the significant problems the Obamacare exchange experienced after launching in 2013. Summarizing the findings, the report noted that MNsure, which cost taxpayers nearly $200 million to build, has many more failures than it does achievements.
First, one of the largest promises Democrats building the Obamacare exchange gave to Minnesotans was that MNsure would provide an easy, accessible way to buy affordable insurance. Instead, the report found that MNsure’s numerous technical problems (75 percent reported having significant problems with the website), ineffective customer service (over a third of the calls to the help center were simply abandoned) and a drawn out process to enroll were a headache for people trying to purchase insurance.
Furthermore, signups were well below projections and in spite of what MNsure claimed, the legislative auditor points out that the exchange fell far below enrollment goals. Public enrollment far outpaced private signups, which the exchange relies upon to fund its operations. The tax on plans sold through the exchange is already at the top 3.5 percent rate allowed by law, even though in 2013 Democrat legislative leaders promised that tax would not go above 2 or 2.25 percent. And if that’s not enough, Governor Dayton has come back to the legislature this session to ask for additional funding to cover MNsure’s budget shortfall. That’s more taxpayer dollars for an exchange that is still falling far below expectations two years later.
Moreover, with only 28 percent of people who purchased commercial insurance through MNsure saying they were previously uninsured, the audit questioned the legitimacy of MNsure’s claims that it significantly impacted the reduction in the uninsured rate in Minnesota, a state where the percentage of uninsured citizens was already under 10 percent. I believe taxpayers built an expensive new exchange to add a very small number of people to the list of insured in our state.
Finally, the report recommends making changes to MNsure’s unelected governing board. House Republicans offered several amendments to make similar changes over the past two years, and I am hopeful that some of the suggestions from the Legislative Auditor will be adopted this year.
Even though cosmetic improvements have been made to the MNsure website in the past year, the functionality of the website remains deeply flawed and the behind the scenes workings between MNsure, DHS, the counties and private insurers are still very much troubled.
Sadly, MNsure is a reality in Minnesota, and Governor Dayton is not willing to sign legislation for repeal. It’s time for the legislature and Governor Dayton to implement the reforms and fixes the exchange desperately needs. No longer can this be a partisan issue, or one where the crafters of the exchange turn a blind eye to the significant problems MNsure has. Things won’t get better if we do not make changes.
House Republicans are putting forward plans this session to address access to affordable health care and to increase MNsure accountability. I am hopeful these changes, along with suggestions made by the Legislative Auditor, will find broad bipartisan support this session.
Constituents at the Capitol
This week brought down a lot of great groups and constituents to the Capitol. Some of the groups I met with this week include PKM, Roseau Electric, North Star Electric, the Red River Valley Emerging Leadership Program, the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association, the Corn Growers Association, the Farm Credit Services and Northland Community and Technical College.
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Dan
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