Friends,
Tuesday was a record setting National Night Out for our area! Maple Grove, always a national leader in celebrating this day, combined with a great showing by Osseo set a new record for our area with 196 parties! I was able to make it to a number of them but even while riding with our local police, I wasn't able to make them all. Maybe next year!
This Monday I will be attending the Maple Grove City Council meeting to talk about the 2017 session and get an update on city business. Come say hi if you're there.
Rep. Smith visiting local gatherings on National Night Out this past Tuesday
Good News with Preliminary Premium Rates Release
On Monday the Minnesota Department of Commerce released preliminary rates for the 2018 individual insurance market, revealing that Republican-led reforms may end the four year trend of double-digit premium increases since the implementation of Obamacare and MNsure in Minnesota. The individual market serves Minnesotans who do not receive health insurance through their employer or the government.
If approved by the federal government, the Minnesota Premium Security Plan will result in premium decreases for tens of thousands of Minnesotans. In contrast, average rates increased by double digits every year since 2014, including nearly 60 percent for 2017. As a result of the reinsurance program, all current insurers will continue serving the individual market next year. In addition to the reinsurance program, Republicans successfully pushed for consumer protections that will provide access to better networks of hospitals and doctors.
According to the Minnesota Department of Commerce, rates could have risen by 25% or more without Republican reforms. On Monday, a letter was sent to the Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price urging approval of the required waiver from the federal government needed to allow the reinsurance program to proceed.
Reinsurance was a tool to stabilize the market and halt the huge increases that have been a hallmark of the last few years under MNsure. This was the first step and now much more work is needed to put downward pressure on health care costs to make sure Minnesota can once again become a national leader in health care.
Preliminary rates released this week show Republican efforts
to stabilize the individual market were effective
ICYMI: Interview on Between the Lines
It was a pleasure to join Al Travis on his political talk show, Between The Lines. We had a great conversation about the very productive 2017 Session, the lawsuit over Governor Dayton vetoing legislative funding, and much more. You can watch the entire show by clicking here.
Reminder: Capitol Grand Opening Celebration
To commemorate this special occasion and to invite Minnesotans back to the People’s House, there will be a Grand Opening Celebration held from Friday August 11th through Sunday the 13th. The celebration will have something for everyone – fireworks, concerts, demonstrations by the artisans that worked on the restoration, behind the scenes tours, and much more. Most of the events are free, or offered at a very low cost. Please mark your calendars and plan to celebrate the People’s House this summer!
Please continue to share your thoughts with me about our state government; bill ideas and concerns are welcomed! I am honored to serve you at the Capitol. My email address is Rep.Dennis.Smith@house.mn, phone number 651-296-5502, and by mail: 375 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.
Have a great weekend!
Dennis