Tony Lourey

Mar 20, 2013

Dayton signs legislation establishing health insurance marketplace

Gov. Mark Dayton signed legislation Wednesday morning establishing an online marketplace where individuals and small businesses will be able to purchase insurance. It's anticipated that nearly 1.3 million people will obtain insurance through the online market place once its fully established, including 300,000 individuals who currently lack coverage.

Mar 18, 2013

Health exchange legislation clears Senate on party-line vote

Legislation establishing a state-run marketplace where individuals and small businesses can purchase health insurance is on its way to Gov. Mark Dayton's desk. The Senate passed the bill on a 39-28 party-line vote on Monday.

Mar 15, 2013

HIX bill nears Dayton’s desk

On Thursday night the Minnesota House of Representatives gave final passage to the bill establishing a state-run health-insurance marketplace, leaving the long-disputed measure just a Senate vote away from reaching the governor’s desk.

Mar 14, 2013

Health exchange bill clears conference committee

Legislation establishing a state-run marketplace where individuals and small businesses can purchase health insurance is headed to the House floor.

Mar 13, 2013

Deadline brings action on flurry of bills

As the first committee deadlines of 2013 loom, Minnesota legislators have spent the week holding hearings on high-profile legislation ranging from the legalization of same-sex marriage to state funding for a Mayo Clinic-driven “destination medical center” development push in Rochester.

Mar 11, 2013

Conference committee for health exchange bill named

A ten-member conference committee has been named to hash out differences between the House and Senate versions of the health insurance exchange bill.

Mar 8, 2013

DHS Medicaid audit points to problems

A preliminary audit of the state’s Medicaid rates released on March 1 determined that they were “actuarially sound.” That’s the finding that Minnesota Department of Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson repeatedly stressed during a phone call with reporters the day the report was released.

Mar 8, 2013

Health exchange bill clears Senate; headed to conference committee

Legislation establishing a state-run marketplace where individuals and businesses can shop for health insurance is headed to a conference committee. The legislation passed the Senate on a largely party-line, 37-29 vote after 12 hours of debate on the floor.

Feb 20, 2013

HIX bills draw closer to floor debate

Legislation to establish a Minnesota health insurance exchange is nearing the end of its grueling committee march. The House version has cleared six committees, with stops at Taxes and Ways and Means still ahead. In the Senate, where the bill has also cleared six committees, it awaits only a stop in Rules and Administration before moving to the floor.

Feb 7, 2013

Senate DFLers amend funding mechanism for health exchange

The health exchange bill grinding its way through Senate committees now relies on general fund dollars to cover the costs of the online marketplace. Sen. Chris Eaton, DFL-Brooklyn Center, brought an amendment to alter the funding mechanism during a hearing before the Taxes Committee on Thursday.

Jan 18, 2013

Exchange bill clears first committee hurdle

Legislation to establish an insurance marketplace for an estimated 1.3 million state residents cleared its first hurdle on Wednesday. The health care exchange bill passed out of the Senate Committee on State and Local Government on a 7-5 party-line vote.

Jan 16, 2013

Health care exchange bill clears first committee hurdle

Legislation that would establish a marketplace where insurance for 1.3 million state residents is expected to be purchased cleared its first legislative hurdle on Wednesday. The health care exchange bill passed out of the Senate Committee on State and Local Government on a 7-5 party-line vote.