Minn. House's exchange bill faces challenges with Senate and Governor

Mar 7 2013

The plan to create a state insurance marketplace includes some abortion restrictions that are expected to meet resistance.

Kaiser Health News: Minnesota Legislature Hammers Out Exchange Bill
The Democratic-majority Minnesota House has passed a key part of the Obama administration's health care law -- a state-based health insurance exchange. The bill's chief author called the measure the most significant health reform in 50 years. But abortion restrictions adopted Monday could run into trouble with Gov. Mark Dayton, a Democrat" (Stawicki, 3/6).

The Associated Press: Minn. House Passes Health Exchange Proposal
The Minnesota House passed a bill Monday establishing the state's health insurance exchange, the first step toward enactment of an online marketplace that aims to give more than a million Minnesotans a new place to purchase affordable health insurance. Rep. Joe Atkins, the chief House sponsor, called the bill creating a health insurance exchange "the most significant health reform in 50 years" -- since Medicare and Medicaid were created in 1965. The exchanges are a centerpiece of the federal health care overhaul (Condon, 3/5).

MinnPost: Outlook For Minnesota's Health Exchange: It Will Come Down To Negotiations Later
The stage is set for lawmakers' final negotiations to shape Minnesota's landmark health insurance exchange. The state House passed the exchange legislation Monday night along roughly party lines, teeing up the measure for a Thursday vote in the Senate (Nord, 3/5).