Greetings from the district,

To put it kindly, the implementation of MNsure put significant stress on a lot of Minnesota families. Skyrocketing premiums and loss of coverage put many people in a difficult position of having to choose between paying their health insurance or paying their mortgage/rent, buying groceries, or purchasing other necessities.

While I did not support MNsure, the important thing to focus on right now is reversing the damage, not pointing fingers. That’s why we have spent the last two years implementing reforms that will get our health insurance market back on track. I’m proud to say that the reforms are working.

In 2017, Republicans introduced and passed a landmark Premium Security plan, which the governor allowed to become law without signing it and giving it his approval. The plan was aimed at stabilizing the volatile individual market, where Minnesotans were experiencing yearly unsustainable price jumps. It worked virtually overnight; the success of this plan even led to national recognition by the New York Times.

The success is expected to continue next year. Recently, the Minnesota Department of Commerce announced proposed premium prices for 2019; every carrier is projected to reduce their prices. Of our reforms, a researcher at Georgetown’s Center for Health Insurance Reforms said, “I have yet to see a state report across-the-board decreases as Minnesota has.”

Republicans also focused on better health care price transparency for consumers. Health care prices have been increasing for years. Much of the confusion about prices comes from a lack of transparency and information. When you go to the doctor for common procedures, you should know up front how much those procedures cost – and be able to shop around for the best price.

Here are some of the things we did to give you more information on your health care procedures.

• We strengthened a law to allow you to request a good faith estimate for expected health care services, including what you are expected to pay out of pocket. Providers and health insurance plans are required to provide this information within ten days.
• The provider must also disclose any additional fees or charges that you will owe to the provider.
• Health care providers must also publicly provide a list of the provider’s 25 most frequently billed procedures, list their price, the average reimbursement from insurance, and the reimbursement rate from Medicare and Medical Assistance. This list must be posted in the doctor’s office, as well as online.

You deserve to know what you will pay when you go to the doctor. Our common sense changes will help you make better, more informed decisions about your health care.

The issue of health insurance and health care costs can be incredibly complex and stressful. While we still have a lot of work to do, the reforms we implemented over the last two years are a great start. When the legislature reconvenes in January, I expect further reforms will be on the agenda.

As always, your feedback is extremely important to me and I encourage you to share your input on the issues being discussed here at the Capitol. If you have any questions, thoughts, or ideas, please send me an email at sen.jeremy.miller@senate.mn or call my Capitol office at 651-296-5649. It’s a great honor to serve as your State Senator.

Sincerely,
Jeremy