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RELEASE: Statement from Leader Daudt on 2020 Health Insurance Rate Release

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

ST. PAUL, MN—On Tuesday, the Minnesota Department of Commerce released final rates for the 2020 individual insurance market. For the third consecutive year, Republican-led reforms have proven to help reduce or hold flat individual market health insurance rates after years of double-digit increases following the implementation of Obamacare in Minnesota. During the last legislative session, Democrats and Governor Walz fiercely opposed and criticized reinsurance before ultimately agreeing to continue the successful program.

According to numbers released this morning by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, All five of the carriers on the individual market are lowering premiums or effectively holding premiums flat for 2020, with average rates ranging between a .18% increase and a 20 percent decrease. According to a news release from MNsure, there will be 39 more health plan options in 2020, and every county will have at least two offerings in the individual market.

“Last session Democrats voted to raise health care costs and opposed programs that once again are proven to lower health care costs," said House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown. “Thanks to Republican leadership insurance rates are dropping for the third consecutive year, our individual market remains stable, and families have more health care choices."

From 2014-2017, average rates increased by double digits every year, including up to 67 percent for 2017. Thanks to Republican reforms enacted in 2017, individual market rates for 2018 and 2019 remained flat or were reduced for most Minnesotans on the individual market. 

The nationally recognized, Republican-led reforms in 2017 were supported by just one Democrat in the Minnesota House. Governor Dayton refused to sign the measure, opting to let it become law without his signature. In 2019, Democrats voted repeatedly to block Republican efforts to bring a reinsurance extension to the House floor for a vote, and Democrat Governor Tim Walz refused to back the program until it was included in the final budget deal.

Republicans also pushed for and successfully passed other key reforms to increase the number of health care options for Minnesotans by expanding agriculture co-op plans, and allowing more insurers into the market, a move that is already paying dividends for seniors on Medicare and employees. Democrats pushed unsuccessfully during the 2019 session to eliminate these health plan options.

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