Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Health reform discussed

Published (4/8/2010)
By Lauren Radomski
Share on: 



Deputy Commerce Commissioner Manny Munson-Regala, from left, April Todd-Malmlov, a health economist with the Department of Health, and Brian Osberg, Medicaid director at the Department of Human Services, testify during an April 6 informational hearing on state conformity with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (Photo by Andrew VonBank)State lawmakers are trying to determine what the March 23 passage of federal health care legislation means for Minnesota and how new reforms may be implemented.

The House Commerce and Labor Committee, the House Health Care and Human Services Policy and Oversight Committee and the House Health Care and Human Services Finance Division met April 6 for an informational hearing on the federal law.

Minnesota is in a unique position because of past state-level health care reforms that are already operational, according to officials with the Commerce, Health and Human Services departments.

“One of the interesting things about realizing how much work we have is to compare us to other states that don’t have rate review, medical loss ratios, a high-risk pool,” said Manny Munson-Regala, deputy commissioner with the Department of Commerce. “Those states keep coming to us for information, so it makes us feel a little bit better.”

Yet the work is not as simple as moving participants in Minnesota programs into newly created or expanded federal programs. For example, the federal law establishes a temporary, high-risk pool to cover individuals with pre-existing conditions who have been uninsured for at least six months. While Minnesota already has a similar safety net, the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association, not everyone in MCHA will qualify for the federal pool, said Julie Sonier, deputy director of the University of Minnesota State Health Access Data Assistance Center.

Similarly, state officials are waiting on information from the federal government to determine how many participants in General Assistance Medical Care and MinnesotaCare may be covered under an expansion of Medicaid.

Rep. Steve Gottwalt (R-St. Cloud) said he is concerned the federal provisions could up-end some Minnesota policies that are working. He recommended state officials explore options for keeping those policies in place.

Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL-Rochester) requested a list of the choices legislators will be facing as a result of the federal law.

“I don’t know how long such a list would be,” she said, “but it would be helpful to sort of have the full scope of what our decision-making has to cover as we get started on some of this.”

The hearing was attended by a delegation representing the Citizens’ Council on Health Care, which opposes conforming Minnesota law to the federal reforms. The group’s president, Twila Brase, said federal law violates the constitution by requiring people to purchase health insurance and will ultimately lead to higher health care costs.

Session Weekly More...


Session Weekly Home



Related Stories


HHS bill is DOA but hoping for CPR
Supporters cite gaining federal funds, governor concerned about spending
(view full story) Published 5/13/2010

House passes HHS budget bill
Members reluctantly vote for cuts; governor says bill is too costly
(view full story) Published 5/6/2010

Not cutting as deep
Although painful now, omnibus HHS budget bill could set stage for reform
(view full story) Published 4/29/2010

Revisiting GAMC
Program participation questionable, hospitals favor earlier federal reform
(view full story) Published 4/22/2010

A distress call for SOS?
State Operated Services plans programmatic redesign, amidst criticism
(view full story) Published 4/22/2010

Minnesota Index: Health coverage
Figures and statistics on health coverage and other vitals
(view full story) Published 4/22/2010

Inking a deal for donors
State oversight of body arts could reduce donor deferrals
(view full story) Published 4/15/2010

Nursing a level playing field
Sides differ on who should pay for nursing home costs
(view full story) Published 4/8/2010

Saying ‘sorry’
House resolution would apologize for practices done decades ago
(view full story) Published 3/25/2010

And the cupboard is bare
More Minnesotans struggle to put food on the table
(view full story) Published 2/25/2010

Future of GAMC uncertain
Legislators consider health care for state’s poor, sick
(view full story) Published 2/11/2010

At Issue: Health care law quagmire
Sustainability at issue in law line-item vetoed by governor
(view full story) Published 5/29/2009

At Issue: More compromise, more reductions
Cuts in health and human services finance bill called ‘painful’
(view full story) Published 5/15/2009

At Issue: Cuts hang in the balance
Much depends on tax increases
(view full story) Published 5/1/2009

At Issue: Providing ‘pretty darn good coverage’
A new approach to public health could save millions in benefits, advocates say
(view full story) Published 4/10/2009

First Reading: Complex problem, complex solution
Cuts to health and human services could create reform opportunity
(view full story) Published 4/3/2009

Minnesota Index: Health boards
Figures and statistics on health licensing board in Minnesota
(view full story) Published 3/13/2009

At Issue: Medical marijuana
Controversial treatment clears first committee hurdle
(view full story) Published 2/20/2009

Minnesota Index: Less lighting up
Figures and statistics on smoking in Minnesota
(view full story) Published 2/20/2009