“The reinsurance bill passed today by the Minnesota House and Senate gives $542 million of public money to insurance companies, but it does not give certainty or stability to rural Minnesotans who need affordable health care,” said Mark Schultz, Executive Director of the Land Stewardship Project. “The farmers and other rural members of the Land Stewardship Project urge Governor Dayton to veto this bad bill and send it back to the Legislature to get a better solution for Minnesotans.

“Insurance companies have repeatedly refused to make commitments to lower insurance costs or offer coverage in all parts of the state, even when given a half-billion dollars of public money. Where are the guarantees that Minnesotans will even have access to insurance policies and doctors in our communities? State leaders already spent $300 million in January to drive down 2017 premiums, and reinsurance may do nothing more than hold premiums at the same unaffordable levels.

“The MinnesotaCare buy-in proposal would provide a more-affordable option and guarantee health care provider choices for Minnesotans everywhere in the state. It would set a standard that insurance companies would have to measure up to. Farmers, small businesses, and rural Minnesotans need quality health care options, and reinsurance is a big expense that comes with no guarantee to make things any better.”

Read Land Stewardship Project’s letter to Governor Dayton urging him to veto the reinsurance bill online here.

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