News Briefs: Dems Push to Make MinnesotaCare Into Public Option

With Democrats now in charge of both chambers of the Minnesota legislature and the governor’s office, a key priority for policymakers will be to give everyone in the state access to low-cost coverage through MinnesotaCare. Minnesota and New York are the only two states that run a Basic Health Program, which offers a coverage option for individuals who make too much to qualify for Medicaid — between 138% and 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL) — but find Affordable Care Act exchange coverage unaffordable. A bill supported by Democratic legislators in the state, which received its first hearing on Feb. 8, would eliminate that 200% FPL cutoff and effectively create a “public option” program, the Associated Press reported. The news outlet noted that under the proposed expansion of MinnesotaCare, premiums would be on a sliding scale, and the state would also develop an option for businesses with under 50 employees to participate.

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