Signed by Governor Mark Dayton

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that establishes a health insurance marketplace in Minnesota, effective January 1, 2014.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace to facilitate and promote health plans for individuals and small businesses (Sec. 4).

• Establishes the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace Board to consists of 7 members appointed by the Governor and approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate (Sec. 5).

• Requires the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace Board to operate the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace and exercise all powers reasonably necessary to implement and administer the provisions of this bill and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Sec. 6).

• Requires the Board to establish minimum standards of certifying insurance producers who may sell health benefits through the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace (Sec. 6).  

• Specifies that the Board may not select which health carriers and health benefit plans will participate in the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace in 2014 (Sec. 6). 

• Requires the Board to have the power to verify that health carriers and health benefit plans were properly certified under certification guidance in place on January 1, 2013 (Sec. 6). 

• Authorizes the Board to select which health benefit plans are able to participate in the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace beginning January 1, 2015 (Sec. 6). 

• Prohibits a Board member from being employed by, being a member of the board of directors of, or otherwise being a representative of a the following organizations during the board member’s appointed term and within one year prior to his or her appointed term (Sec. 5):
• A health carrier;
• An institutional health care provider; or 
• Any other entity providing health care at any time during.

• Prohibits the coverage of abortions by a qualified health benefit plan offered through the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace except under the following circumstances (Sec. 6): 
• When the abortion is performed to prevent the death of the mother; and 
• When the abortion is performed on a pregnancy that is a result of certain criminal sexual conduct.

• Specifies that no health care provider or Minnesota resident shall be required to participate in the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace (Secs. 6 & 11). 

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that establishes a health insurance marketplace in Minnesota, effective January 1, 2014.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace to facilitate and promote health plans for individuals and small businesses (Sec. 4).

• Establishes the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace Board to consists of 7 members appointed by the Governor and approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate (Sec. 5).

• Requires the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace Board to operate the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace and exercise all powers reasonably necessary to implement and administer the provisions of this bill and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Sec. 6).

• Requires the Board to establish minimum standards of certifying insurance producers who may sell health benefits through the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace (Sec. 6).  

• Specifies that the Board may not select which health carriers and health benefit plans will participate in the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace in 2014 (Sec. 6). 

• Requires the Board to have the power to verify that health carriers and health benefit plans were properly certified under certification guidance in place on January 1, 2013 (Sec. 6). 

• Authorizes the Board to select which health benefit plans are able to participate in the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace beginning January 1, 2015 (Sec. 6). 

• Prohibits a Board member from being employed by, being a member of the board of directors of, or otherwise being a representative of a the following organizations during the board member’s appointed term and within one year prior to his or her appointed term (Sec. 5):
• A health carrier;
• An institutional health care provider; or 
• Any other entity providing health care at any time during.

• Prohibits the coverage of abortions by a qualified health benefit plan offered through the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace except under the following circumstances (Sec. 6): 
• When the abortion is performed to prevent the death of the mother; and 
• When the abortion is performed on a pregnancy that is a result of certain criminal sexual conduct.

• Specifies that no health care provider or Minnesota resident shall be required to participate in the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace (Secs. 6 & 11). 

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a health insurance exchange in Minnesota.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace as a state health care exchange as described in the federal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to facilitate the sale and purchase of health plans for individuals beginning January 1, 2014 (Secs. 7 & 20).

• Establishes a board of directors consisting of 7 members to govern the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace, who may not be employed by a health carrier or health care provider with services offered through the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace within 1 year of appointment to the board (Sec. 8).

• Requires the governor to appoint and the senate to confirm members of the board of directors (Sec. 8).

• Requires the legislature to enact regulatory requirements for health carriers and health plans offered by the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace by June 1, 2013, that (Sec. 9):
• Apply uniformly to all health carriers and health plans in the individual and small group markets; and
• Satisfy minimum requirements under the Affordable Care Act.

• Requires the Board to determine whether a health plan satisfies regulatory requirements by considering a combination of the following criteria (Sec. 9):
• Reasonableness of expected costs;
• Quality and sufficiency of the health plan's provider networks;
• Promotion of initiatives for improving health, disease prevention, and wellness; and
• Providing a manageable number of choices to consumers.

• Establishes the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace account in the special revenue fund of the state treasury for the operation of the marketplace (Sec. 11).

• Requires the Legislative Oversight Committee to review the operations of the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace annually and recommend necessary changes in policy, implementation, and statutes (Sec. 14).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a health insurance exchange in Minnesota.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace, a state health benefit exchange as described in the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to facilitate the sale and purchase of health benefit coverage beginning January 1, 2014 (Sec. 4).

• Establishes a board of directors consisting of 7 members to govern the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace, who may not be employed by a health carrier or health care provider with services offered through the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace within 1 year of appointment to the board (Sec. 5).

• Appropriates up to 3.5 percent of premiums sold in the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace to fund the marketplace (Sec. 6). 

• Requires the board of directors to approve at least 2 health benefit plans for health carriers that choose to participate in the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace (Sec. 6).

• Prohibits health benefit plans offered through the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace from providing abortion coverage, except in the following cases (Sec. 6):
• The abortion is performed to prevent the death of the mother;
• The pregnancy is the result of rape, if the incident is reported within 48 hours to law enforcement; or
• The pregnancy is the result of incest, if the incident is reported prior to undergoing the abortion.

• Prohibits the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace from sharing information outside of the marketplace relating to tobacco use or firearm ownership of an individual participating in the marketplace (Sec. 7).

• Authorizes an individual using a federal tax credit or subsidy to purchase insurance from the Minnesota Insurance Exchange to receive care from the physician of their choice (Sec. 12).

• Specifies that no Minnesota citizen or health carrier is required to participate in the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace (Secs. 6 & 11).

Full Bill Text