Conferees reach agreement on MNsure’s future, send it back for repassage

The future of MNsure, one of the most controversial state agencies, was ironed out early Sunday morning by a conference committee which stopped short of repealing it altogether, as House Republicans had proposed.

When HF1638/SF1458* last passed a House committee, it still included language to transition MNsure enrollees to the federal-facilitated marketplace beginning in 2017. The DFL-controlled Senate did not concur.

However, conferees are recommending that their respective bodies include a House provision offered by Rep. Tara Mack (R-Apple Valley). The chair of the House Health and Human Services Policy Committee successfully amended the conference committee report so a federal waiver would be requested to allow individuals to purchase health plans outside of MNsure and still qualify for the premium tax credits offered through the program.

Another federal waiver would be requested to allow small employers to receive the small business health care tax credit when the employer pays the premium on behalf of the employee.

Sponsored by Rep. Matt Dean (R-Dellwood) and Sen. Tony Lourey (DFL-Kerrick), the conference committee agreement would change the governance structure of the board, which was given special exemptions at the onset to help get the state’s compliance with the federal affordable care act off the ground.

Other MNsure reforms would include:

• publicizing plan rates at least 30 days prior to open enrollment periods;

• removing open meeting law exemptions put in place to kickstart the program in a short timeframe;

• ensuring timely appeals of MNsure determinations; and

• prohibiting MNsure from offering policies that do not meet state requirements.