The measure, termed as "historic" and "controversial" in local media reports, will create the health law's online insurance marketplace. The next planning and implementation steps will now fall to the state's executive branch.
MPR News: Dayton Signs Health Exchange Law, Creating 'MNSURE'
Gov. Mark Dayton Wednesday signed into law historic and controversial legislation enacting the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. The legislation creates a new marketplace for health insurance, which the administration has given the name, "MNSURE." Starting in October, more than a million Minnesotans, including 300,000 uninsured, are expected to shop -- and sign up for health plans using MNSURE. After exchange legislation stalled for two years when the GOP controlled the Legislature, the DFL pushed a bill through this year with remarkable speed. The legislation hit the governor's desk in plenty of time to meet state and federal deadlines (Stawicki, 3/20).
MinnPost: Supporters Celebrate As Gov. Dayton Signs 'MNsure' Health Exchange Into Law
DFL lawmakers and health insurance exchange supporters celebrated "MNsure" -; the exchange's official brand -; as Gov. Mark Dayton on Wednesday signed the measure into law. Lawmakers have now handed off the brunt of the exchange planning and implementation to executive branch staff, who have been working behind the scenes to make sure the project meets federal deadlines and is ready launch in January (Nord, 3/20).
Minneapolis Star-Tribune: Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange Becomes Law
Minnesota has a new online health insurance marketplace, with a new name: MNsure. Gov. Mark Dayton signed it into law Wednesday, enacting the most sweeping health care change the state has seen in half a century. Some 1.3 Minnesotans and small businesses are expected to buy their health coverage through the exchange, starting next year, including 300,000 who are now uninsured (Brooks, 3/20).
Meanwhile, in Kansas -