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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Bud Nornes (R)

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MNsure rates set to skyrocket

Thursday, September 1, 2016

 

ST. PAUL – Minnesota families and individuals who buy insurance on their own could pay an average increase of around 60 percent more for the upcoming year, according to information released on Healthcare.Gov Thursday.

Premiums in the MNsure health insurance exchange have risen each of the three years prices have been set, but the current hike is projected to be the largest once updated numbers are finalized in the coming weeks. Thursday’s preliminary rate increases are on top of hikes of up to 17 percent and 49 percent in the past two years.

“MNsure advocates told families they would save $500 per year with this program but, instead, enrollees have faced one price increase after another,” said Rep. Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls. “These broken promises are harming many people who can least afford to take another setback.”

During the 2016 legislative session, Nornes supported legislation to reduce the MNsure tax which would have saved families at least $22 million over the next three years. The measure passed the House, but was vocally opposed by Democrat legislators and was not enacted.

“It will be difficult to reform MNsure as long as our friends across the aisle continue to ignore reality with this broken program that already has cost taxpayers $400 million,” Nornes said. “The House majority has offered ideas to trim health insurance costs and increase health care choices and will continue doing so but, at some point, Democrats will need to set their pride aside and get on board if we are going to do the right thing and make improvements.”

 

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