The health and human services budget currently being hash out in conference committee relies on a change in the way it books revenue from existing surcharges on hospitals and health plans. That allows for a one-time infusion of $76 million for the next biennium.

The Senate passed an $11.2 billion health and human services budget bill 36-28 shortly after midnight on Friday morning. The House on Monday passed its HHS bill, which differs significantly in funding from the Senate.

**UPDATED** The Senate released its health and human services finance bill on Monday. The biggest difference from the House: no hospital surcharge. The House bill counts on just over $100 million in new revenues from such a tax.

Faced with a set of budget targets that concentrate most new spending on the education sector, some House committee chairs are seeking to augment their own budgets with added marginal revenues from fee hikes.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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