The Times reports on the ongoing political standoff surrounding Minnesota’s efforts to implement a health insurance exchange. Governor Dayton remains strongly committed to establishing an online Exchange where individuals and businesses can purchase insurance, while state Republicans remain adamant in their refusal to collaborate on anything related to Obamacare. Dayton administration officials continue efforts to develop an Exchange in the hopes that a Supreme Court decision and/or the November elections will eventually resolve the standoff.
For those like me who are working to implement health care reform in Minnesota, the stalemate is a complicating factor in our work. Implementing a fully functional Exchange that will be ready to accept applications in less than 18 months is a monumental task in itself and these never-ending political disputes only distract from those efforts. It’s unfortunate that such efforts can’t be bipartisan, but bipartisanship can’t be used as an excuse for Minnesota to do nothing and risk a federally imposed solution that is not designed to best serve the needs of our residents.
