Kiffmeyer: Ensuring affordable health insurance and supporting Minnesota's firefighters – Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus
Friends and neighbors,
In 2016, due to Obamacare forcing the end of the MN Comprehensive health insurance program (created decades before for Minnesotans with pre-existing health conditions), premiums skyrocketed and led to the near collapse of the private health care insurance market across Minnesota. As a result, insurance premiums for the individual market increased by double digits, as high as 30-49% yearly.
This disaster led the legislature to pass the reinsurance program in 2017 to help stabilize premiums for Minnesota families’ and create greater choice. Following reinsurance implementation, costs stabilized and every county in Minnesota has at least two health care plan options to choose from.
During the first three years after the program was implemented, premiums decreased by 25.5% in Minnesota as compared with an increase of 25.9% for the United States overall. Reinsurance has proven so successful that several other states have created programs like it since 2017.
However, the program faced a cut due to opposition from Governor Walz this last year. As a result, the costs picked up by the program were reduced resulting in the largest annual premium increase since the program’s inception.
To address this, Senate Republicans passed legislation this session to extend our state’s successful reinsurance program for another five years. The proposal would return the coinsurance level to 80%, which will save the average enrollee $130 per month.
Without this program, studies suggest premiums could rise as much as 36% in the individual marketplace in 2023. According to the Department of Commerce, it is estimated 15,000 Minnesotans will lose health insurance without the program.
As families face rising inflation rates, it’s more critical than ever to stabilize Minnesota families’ insurance rates in the individual market. The program extension will help prevent people from going bankrupt and being moved onto public health insurance. This will also help ensure that Minnesotans continue to have multiple affordable options for health insurance.
Fighting for firefighters, during last year’s session, we passed legislation in response to the health crisis in fire service members. The legislation addressed the alarmingly high incidence of cancer and cardiac issues facing some of the 22,000 firefighters across the state.
And recently in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which I serve on, this bill was again heard to clarify who is eligible for benefits and how its insurance option interacts and conforms to insurance regulations.
Clarification language now defines that the insurance option is to be offered to active-duty firefighters. Additionally, any firefighter that has been diagnosed with cancer or heart disease after Aug. 1, 2021, qualifies for the policy, provided they apply for coverage within the 12-month window beginning after their diagnosis.
Our firefighters put their lives at risk and on the line every day, and some now face long-term health issues due to their selfless service to their communities. It is critical to support the health and well-being of firefighters through quality critical care policies, and the clarifications made to this bill will better support these brave men and women.
Contact me
As always, if have questions or concerns on any legislative topic, feel free to contact me any time. You can call me at 651-296-5655 or send me an email at sen.mary.kiffmeyer@senate.mn. It is a privilege to serve as your state senator.
Sincerely,
Mary
