SAINT PAUL – Though citizens in Mille Lacs County are already limited in their MNsure options, they could be altogether locked out of the insurance exchange if they do not enroll quickly.
Mille Lacs is one of five Minnesota counties where all insurance plan options on the MNsure exchange will have enrollment number caps. Meaning, the exchange will only accommodate a certain amount of people in any given plan following the November 1st start to the 2017 enrollment period.
There has been no proposed solution by the Minnesota Department of Commerce or Governor Mark Dayton as to how Mille Lacs County citizens will be able to get insurance coverage if they don’t get enrolled in a plan before enrollment caps are met for the county.
“The MNsure exchange has been a complete disaster since the very beginning,” said Rep. Erickson. “I have gotten so many calls over the last few weeks from people who are unsure how they will be able to manage rate hikes on over 50%. Now, due to these enrollment caps imposed by Governor Dayton’s Department of Commerce, I urge Mille Lacs County residents banking on the state exchange to enroll in a MNsure plan a quickly as possible to ensure they can get an health plan. I’m extremely disappointed at the lack of solutions offered to our community by the Department of Commerce, and I hope that Democratic legislators will now, finally, be willing to work bipartisanly to enact emergency reforms for Minnesotans.”
Rep. Sondra Erickson (R-Princeton) is among other Republican legislators who support extending the MNsure enrollment period past January 31st, 2017 so more options can be brought to the market. Rep. Greg Davids (R-Preston) Co-Chairman of the MNsure Legislative Oversight Committee, released a proposal Thursday aimed at bringing more choices to families and helping Minnesotans keep their doctor.
Residents of Benton, Crow Wing, Morrison, and Stearns counties also have zero uncapped MNsure plan options.
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