1. Immediate Premium Relief. We believe a one-month 20 percent premium cut for all
policies purchased without an advanced premium tax credit (APTC) in the individual market
will provide time to establish a broader and more targeted relief program. While we work
through the legislative drafting process, we will review any detailed individual market data
or modeling used by your agencies in developing your existing proposal.
2. Targeted Assistance for Premium, Deductible & Out-Of-Network Costs. For the
remainder of 2017, we propose a targeted financial assistance program - which can be used
for premiums, deductibles, in-network or out-of-network costs - based on three income tiers
between 300 and 800 percent of federal poverty guidelines. Relief would be staggered among
those three income groups so that those with less means and no access to any federal
assistance receive the greatest share of any state subsidy.
Our intention is to provide some assistance for those in the lowest tier without duplication of
federal subsidies. This type of program could be administered jointly by the Department of
Revenue and Minnesota Management and Budget, in cooperation with the health plans, or
through a third-party administrator. We look forward to reviewing information requested at
the meetings on November 4 and 18 and received this afternoon in order to fully develop this
proposal.
3. Continued Ability To See Current Doctors. We propose a one-time expansion of the
continuity of care statute (Minn. Stat. 62Q.56) so that everyone in the individual market can
continue seeing their physician for up to 90 days. Unlike the existing continuity of care
statute, this would not be not limited to those who are currently in a course of treatment.
4. Prevention of Future Health Care Crises. In addition to the immediate relief measures
listed above, we propose further reform with near and long-term implications. The following
are initial steps toward increasing certainty and affordability for consumers, eliminating
unnecessary costs to the state, and restoring market stability. These are not partisan ideas. In
fact, many were previously authored by DFL members and others have received broad bipartisan support in the legislature.
Eliminate surprise billing where people are unknowingly stuck with an out-of-network
charge for one provider during a surgery or hospital stay.
Create a financial penalty for knowingly falsifying a Special Enrollment Period
application, to be enforced by plans and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
Require the Department of Commerce and MDH to draft a transition plan from MNsure
to a federal-state partnership exchange, where the Department of Commerce retains rate
review authority, the state manages a call center and in-person assistance, and we use the
better-performing Healthcare.gov site for commercial enrollment.
Reduce the stop-loss limit from $20,000 to $10,000, making it easier for small businesses
to offer affordable health insurance.
Allow for-profit HMOs to participate in the individual market.
We look forward to discussing these proposals further with you to deliver relief for Minnesotans
who are in dire need of assistance.
Sincerely,