Obamacare Health Insurance Exchange - Minnesota

Citizens' Council for Health Freedom ^ | 9-17-12 | twila brase

[TurboZamboni]

PUBLIC COMMENTS REQUESTED: The Minnesota Department of Commerce has issued a call for public comments on "a draft of proposed Guiding Principles for the Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange" (HIX). (see official draft below)

DEADLINE: Monday, September 24, 2012

Let's deluge the Department of Commerce and Commissioner Mike Rothman with comments opposing the guiding principles of the Exchange --- which is being built under Governor Dayton's executive order. No law allows the Exchange, but the Governor doesn't care. He's happy to install the "centerpiece" of Obamacare in Minnesota at a taxpayer cost of $40 million - $80 million per year to operate it.

EMAIL COMMENTS TO: PublicComments.HIX@state.mn.us Please send copy (cc) or (bcc) to sheri@cchfreedom.org -- She'll keep count. We would like to report the number of responses.

[TurboZamboni]

Here is what the MN Health Insurance Exchange (HIX) principles actually propose (see official principles at end of email). In short:

HIX will support universal health care - socialized medicine. HIX will interfere in the patient-doctor relationship (delivery of medical care). HIX will enforce compliance-based payments on doctors based on government-defined "value." HIX will enforce "delivery mechanisms" that lead to government rationed care. HIX is not just for insurance, it's also for public program enrollment in food stamps. HIX lets more people access "financial assistance" (taxpayer-subsidized programs). HIX will gather data on race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation and gender and analyze medical records to "eliminate health disparities" in treatment (standardize care and insert the potential of civil rights litigation into exam rooms). HIX will be as "transparent" as it is today [The Star Tribune (Aug 2), St. Cloud Times (Aug 30) chastise the department for NON-transparency]. HIX promises to "manage" the competition of doctors/clinics/hospitals (providers) and health plans (payers), thereby eliminating market forces and real market choices. The deadline for your comments is Monday, September 24.

[Jacquerie]

Your legislature did not pass it? Then it is not a law and no court can legitimately fine or imprison anyone for not following the exec order.

[EGPWS]

He's happy to install the "centerpiece" of Obamacare in Minnesota at a taxpayer cost of $40 million - $80 million per year to operate it.

Is THAT all that free healthcare costs?

[txrefugee]

Let’s all stand back and watch these ObamaBot states go broke. TX will never agree to this unhealthy expenditure of taxpayer money.

[coder2]

I cannot begin to say how happy that I am that I moved out of Minnesota (born and raised --- lived there for half a century). The slow choking of individual liberty in this state has been going on for years. Leave it to (chicken-sh##) dayton to become obamalite and implement something that hasn't been formally introduced into law. But from the rumors that I hear, MN may go back to full DFL rule this election. Whew, glad I'm outta there.

Happily ensconced in Wyoming now, where freedom still means something.

[TurboZamboni]

10 REASONS: Oppose Obamaʼs Health Insurance Exchanges http://www.cchfreedom.org/files/files/10_Reason_Oppose_State_Hix.pdf

[TurboZamboni]

10 REASONS: Oppose Obamaʼs Health Insurance Exchanges http://www.cchfreedom.org/files/files/10_Reason_Oppose_State_Hix.pdf

[The Great RJ]

Where is Gov. Dayton getting the funds to implement this Exchange? Doesn’t the Legislature have to appropriate the money as part of its budget? Without Legislative action I see this whole thing as illegal

[EGPWS]

I cannot begin to say how happy that I am that I moved out of Minnesota (born and raised --- lived there for half a century).

I'm with ya. Just over 50 years in MN and am now residing in a sane red state.

I still own property up there yet unfortunately...

[TurboZamboni]

Dayton moving ahead on health insurance exchange
Article by: JACKIE CROSBY , Star Tribune Updated: September 18, 2012 - 10:03 PM
Dayton ramps up health care exchange plan, reassures GOP foes.

The state has received $28.5 million in federal grants to hire staff and lay the foundation. It has applied for another $42.5 million to build the technical infrastructure.

States have until Nov. 16 to submit paperwork to the federal government to prove they will have a functioning exchange by the Oct. 1, 2013, open enrollment period.

While a Minnesota-designed exchange has the support of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and some key Republican leaders, it does not enjoy full bipartisan support. Lawmakers were unable to get an exchange bill out of committee during the previous two legislative sessions, and Dayton has signaled he will use his authority to move forward without legislators, if need be.

Dayton seemed to soften that stance in the letter Tuesday, emphasizing in bold type that he would “not commit Minnesota to any final policy decisions in the application,” including how the exchange will be financed and whether it will be governed by the state, a nonprofit agency or a combination.

http://www.startribune.com/business/170216776.html?refer=y

the magic healthcare fairies will fly out Al Franken’s ass and deliver the $ to pay for this.

[TurboZamboni]

Health exchanges often are compared to online travel marketplaces, such as Orbitz, where consumers could shop for and compare insurance plans...In a late-August letter to legislative leaders, Dayton outlined plans to apply for another $42.5 million in federal funds – on top of the roughly $30 million Minnesota has already received to plan the exchange.

http://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2012/09/planning-minnesota%E2%80%99s-health-insurance-exchange-risk-faltering

so we're to believe Orbitz spends $72.5 million (X 57 states) to implement and run a website...BS. Who's running it?!!? SEIU??

[coder2]

Yeah, I feel your pain.

Our home back there hasn't sold yet. Not surprised at all

[TurboZamboni]

The Exchanges are the Achilles’ heel of Obamacare. States have the power to stop Obamacare by refusing to establish a state-based exchange and refusing to share any information, including Medicaid data, with any kind of a federal exchange. Stopping Obamacare is as easy as refusing to cooperate. In an article I’m quoted in, Robert Laszewski, president of Health Policy and Strategy Associates in Virginia, says:
“The ACA cannot be implemented without an insurance exchange in each state. It’s a go or it’s a no-go. It’s that simple.”

Citizens can’t count on Romney to stop or repeal Obamacare. Romney has already admitted he’s not planning to get rid of all of Obamacare. He signed the first Exchange into law in America, the Massachusetts Connector. This week, attorney Bill Butler calls Obama’s Exchange a “lobster trap.”

On Monday the Minnesota health care reform and exchange advisory task forces met to discuss progress on the unauthorized Minnesota exchange. No law allows it.