The 2015 legislature and governor created a task force on health care financing to advise them on strategies to increase access and improve the quality of health care for Minnesotans. These strategies include options for:
- Sustainable health care financing
- Coverage
- Purchasing
- Delivery for all insurance affordability programs.
This includes MNsure, Medical Assistance (MA), MinnesotaCare and individuals eligible to purchase coverage with federal advanced premium tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies. The task force will consist of the Commissioners from the Department of Human Services, Department of Commerce and Department of Health; the executive director of MNsure; and members appointed by the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Governor. The Commissioner of Human Services and one task force member elected by the task force will co-chair.
Opportunities
The task force will evaluate opportunities, options under section 1332 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and options under a section 1115 waiver of the Social Security Act, including:
- Options for providing and financing seamless coverage for persons otherwise eligible for insurance affordability programs, including MA, MinnesotaCare and advanced premium tax credits used to purchase commercial insurance.
- Options for transforming health care purchasing and delivery such as expansion of value based direct contracting with providers.
- Options for alignment, consolidation and governance of certain operational components such as program eligibility, enrollment and shared IT platform.
- The impact of options on the health care workforce and delivery system for hospitals, clinics, rural and safety net providers. rural safety net providers, clinics and hospitals.
Goals
The task force evaluation and recommendations to the governor will have the following goals:
- Encouraging seamless consumer experience across all benefit programs
- Reducing barriers to accessibility and affordability of coverage
- Improving sustainable financing of health programs, including impact on the state budget
- Assessing the impact of options for innovation on their potential to reduce health disparities
- Expanding innovative health care purchasing and delivery systems strategies that reduce cost and improve health
- Promoting effective and efficient aligning program resources and operations
- Increasing transparency and accountability of program operations.
