Exchange advances despite controversey
Battles over administration of health care marketplace play out in committee
January is generally not the time of year for four-hour committee hearings at the Capitol. But Wednesday’s gathering of the House Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy Committee nearly reached that dubious mark.
For more than two hours Republicans grilled Rep. Joe Atkins, DFL-Inver Grove Heights, about the details of his bill establishing an online marketplace where individuals and businesses will be able to shop for health insurance. They raised concerns about adequately protecting users’ data, sufficient oversight of the exchange, and the cost of setting up the insurance marketplace. “The money in Washington isn’t free,” said Rep. Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove. “That’s still our money.” But ultimately the legislation cleared the committee on a 12-7, party-line vote.
