Minnesota's high-risk insurance pool to close

Source: Pioneer Press, St.儲存倉 Paul, Minn.Sept. 04--Minnesota's high-risk pool for people who can't obtain health insurance elsewhere will close at the end of next year, according to a report released Tuesday, but individuals will be able to appeal for continuing coverage from the program beyond 2014.The appeal process should help resolve problems as about 26,000 people move from the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association to the private health insurance market, according to the new state report.Called MCHA, the safety-net program was created by the Legislature in 1976 and functions as a nonprofit organization regulated by the Commerce Department.It won't be needed starting next year because the federal health care overhaul will stop insurance companies from denying coverage to individuals based on pre-existing health conditions."This change eliminates the need for high-risk insurance pools like MCHA as the 'safety net' for thousands of individuals who had been denied coverage because of a health-related condition," the Commerce Department wrote in the program's final draft transition plan, released Tuesday.The report includes many recommendations contained in a version released in June.Like the earlier report, the final version calls for closing MCHA by the end of next year for current enrollees. It also would close the program to new enrollees at the start of 2014.The appeal option, however, is new. Some patients and patient groups submitted comments to the Commerce Department this summer voicing fears their access to certain doctors and medications would be diminished once MCHA goes away.Many state high-risk poo迷你倉價錢s, including a similar program in Wisconsin, are closing at the end of this year. Minnesota is keeping its program open in 2014 for current enrollees, however, to ease any problems that might surface as people look for new coverage.The state's health insurance companies and their customers, however, have a financial incentive to get individuals off MCHA coverage, which is funded through a tax on insurers.If current beneficiaries stick with the program, it will cost health insurers up to $55 million next year. At the same time, Minnesota health insurance companies will be paying a new federal "re-insurance" fund that's designed to help cover the cost of patients with pre-existing conditions.State officials say the situation amounts to a duplicate tax for Minnesota insurers."Transitioning more enrollees from MCHA to alternative coverage in 2014 will reduce the potential financial (effect) on the health market in Minnesota," the Commerce Department wrote."Health insurance companies in Minnesota will pay both the federal re-insurance assessment as well as the assessment for the MCHA program, and may not receive federal re-insurance reimbursement for the claims that may be associated with MCHA's high-risk pool population," the report states.Christopher Snowbeck can be reached at 651-228-5479. Follow him at .twitter.com/chrissnowbeck.ONLINEThe report the future of Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association can be found online at TwinCities.com/politics.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) Visit the Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) at .twincities.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉