ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Department of Commerce on Monday released preliminary rates for the 2018 individual insurance market, revealing that state level Republican-led reforms could 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’s Premium Security Plan will result in premium decreases for tens of thousands of Minnesotans. This is in contrast to recent history where average rates increased by double digits every year since 2014, including nearly a 60 percent jump for 2017.
“We are beginning to see the results of legislative action we took back in January of this year,” said Rep. Dale Lueck, R-Aitkin. “Our state-level reinsurance program is something we can do here in Minnesota to regain control of the overwhelming increases in health insurance costs since the advent of Obamacare and MNSure. There is still more work to do. We need the federal government to get off the dime and approve our plan to reduce the high cost of insurance which has been crippling many Minnesota family budgets.”
As a result of Minnesota’s reinsurance program, all current insurers will continue serving Minnesota’s individual market next year. In addition to the reinsurance program, the Republican lead effort in St. Paul successfully put in place 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 percent or more without these important reforms. House Speaker Rep. Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, is sending a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price urging approval of the required waiver from the federal government needed to allow Minnesota’s reinsurance program to proceed.
Final rates for the 2018 individual market are expected to be released in October 2017.
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