In fiscal year 2017, the MinnesotaCare program paid $397.2 million for health care services provided to enrollees.
This tax typically has the effect of raising the cost of prescription drugs and medical services since it is passed on the covered individual.
[1] According to Minnesota Department of Human Services, in year 2018, following health plans were available for MinnesotaCare applicants:[7] In 2016, then-state Senator Tony Lourey (DFL–Kerrick) and State Representative Jennifer Schultz (DFL–Duluth) proposed increasing the income limit for MinnesotaCare eligibility from 200% FPG to 275% FPG.
[12] In 2018, the Dayton administration estimated the average statewide cost of MinnesotaCare buy-in to be $659 per person per month, or $7,908 per year, for a silver level health plan.
[13][14] In comparison, for 2018, the Kaiser Family Foundation estimated the average cost of a privately sold silver level health plan to be $326 per person per month, or $3,912 per year, with similar deductibles.
[15] To start the buy in program, Governor Dayton proposed spending roughly $100,000,000 in public funding for a financial reserve to back up the government-run insurance option.
Were providers mandated to accept public option coverage, they argue rural hospitals and clinics would be driven to bankruptcy.