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Individual insurance reform sought

Published (3/16/2012)
By Erin Schmidtke
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Minnesotans without access to employer benefits might be able to pool money from multiple sources to buy health insurance.

Under HF2683, sponsored by Rep. Steve Gottwalt (R-St. Cloud), those without insurance would be able to put money into a trust account from multiple employers, family and other sources. The bill would also mandate a task force with the purpose of creating a website to provide comparative information about insurance for consumers.

The House Commerce and Regulatory Reform Committee approved the bill March 13 and sent it to the House Taxes Committee. Sen. David Hann (R-Eden Prairie) sponsors its companion, SF2313, which awaits action by the Senate State Government Innovation and Veterans Committee.

Gottwalt claims the bill would help part-time employees, many of whom hold more than one job and would not otherwise be able to afford insurance. He said this tool is necessary to address the rising price of health coverage, as no process is in place for Minnesotans to pool their money without the help of cost-prohibitive legal counsel.

Rep. Tom Anzelc (DFL-Balsam Township) disagrees with Gottwalt, predicting that this bill could result in more confusion and less insurance availability for those who need it. He also questions how the bill would interact with state programs like Medical Assistance.

“I see a Minnesota that’s sicker, not healthier,” he said.

Rep. Joe Atkins (DFL-Inver Grove Heights) also voiced dissent, saying that other programs currently in place achieve the same goal as Gottwalt’s bill.

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