People’s House Series: Stop the Health Care Heist
“Minnesotans didn’t ask for this.”
In Minnesota, we believe in fairness and the common good. That’s why we were the only state in the nation that still banned for-profit companies from selling health insurance.
But in 2017, corporate lobbyists changed that law. It takes effect this year.
Let’s be clear.
Minnesotans didn’t ask for this. Corporate lobbyists made it happen.
Insurance companies like UnitedHealth Group are accountable by law to their shareholders. Not to their patients.
We need our government to stand up for us.
Time is running out to pass consumer protections, preventing health insurance companies from walking away with billions of dollars of public interests assets.
Here’s the deal: Minnesota’s health plans made money off public health care programs and their nonprofit tax status. Minnesota health insurance companies have billions of dollars in reserves and assets that belong to the public.
Now, we have a choice. Our government can either:
- Prevent health insurance companies from walking away with billions of dollars in public interest assets (which happened in other states);
- Stop companies like Medica from transferring millions of dollars to out-of-state for-profit companies; and
- Ensure public money is kept for the public good, not profit.
Or, our government can let for-profit health insurance companies take off with billions of dollars in assets that don’t belong to them, and let them send money to for-profit companies out of state, instead of toward Minnesotans’ care.
Tell your state legislators to stop the #HealthCareHeist
Right now, a strong bill is moving through the House to put in place consumer protections which would stop the #HealthCareHeist.
When a similar bill was introduced two years ago, it disappeared behind closed doors.
We can’t take our eyes off this.
Your state representatives need to hear from you right now. Contact BOTH your state legislators TODAY.
Tell them to support consumer protections for HMO conversions: HF533 and SF1984.
Then, let’s get to work protecting and expanding affordable health care. Read 5 Things We Love About Governor Walz’s Health Care Proposal to about people-centered policies on the table. Join our email list to stay informed.
