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From: Joan Redig
Land Stewardship Project Health Care Task Force Member
Houston, Minn.
I felt compelled to write this after contacting Senator Jeremy Miller and asking him not to support the Unified Trust Accounts Bill.
Late on April 27 Senator Hann and Rep. Gottwalt convened a conference committee from last year known as House File 8 and inserted S.F.2313/H.F.2683 into the bill. On the floor every Republican (excluding one) in both chambers voted in favor, while every Democrat voted against it. Ultimately, Gov. Dayton vetoed the health care bill, which is only so-called because it would take federal money allotted by the Affordable Care Act For All and then mix it with private funds, thereby putting corporate insurance brokers in charge of it.
In his letter back to me, Senator Miller said that he voted for the bill because he favors a health insurance plan for the poor that is designed not by the federal government but by Minnesotans for Minnesotans, and will suit individual needs and promote quality and efficiency. Since the Affordable Care Act itself is designed to be made available to Minnesotans who need help in buying down the cost of their income-based health insurance, then what justifies the support of a new bill that would take federal funds allotted by the ACA and places it under the control of corporate insurance brokers without effective oversight?
A huge reason why we have such a broken health care system is because corporate HMOs take our premium dollars while forcing more Minnesotans on higher deductibles, which squeezes families out of getting care.
Senator Miller needs to stop his support for House File 8 and instead support a health care exchange process that is actually controlled by the people of Minnesota.
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