8th Congressional District’s Healthcare Policies

One of the biggest issues in the Minnesota’s 8th District race is about healthcare. Congressman Rick Nolan is on one side while Republican challenger Stewart Mills is on the other.
Last week we contacted both Congressman Nolan’s Mr. Mills campaign teams requesting interviews. People with the Mills camp said he’s schedule was too busy and gave us this emailed statement. “I’ll work to help repeal and replace Obamacare with patient-centered alternatives, like price transparency, the ability to buy insurance across state lines, and increased usage of Health Savings Accounts.”
Congressman Nolan says, “We need a system similar to MediCare. 30% of our healthcare dollars are going in to administration. MediCare they administrated that for 3-4%. So we need to get to a system that where the dollars we spend on medical care, medical services go for medical care and medical services. Not costly administrative plans and insurance company profits.”
Since the Affordable Care Act was implemented in Minnesota, about 320,000 Minnesotans have gained healthcare from MNSure and a University of Minnesota study says Minnesota’s uninsured rate has dropped from last year’s 8.9% to this May’s 4.9%.
Nolan says, “I think it would be devastating for a lot of people. You know people with preexisting conditions, people trying to keep their kids on the policy to help them through college. Removing that limit that forced so many people into bankruptcy and removing the donut hole under part B for MediCare, prescriptions for people. It would have a very detrimental harmful effect for a lot of people.”
Mr. Mills says in his statement, “At our family’s business, one of the many things I’m in charge of is our self-insured health plan that provides health care for our 6,000 employees and their families. Because of that experience, I have seen first hand how Obamacare was hurting Minnesotans.”
However when we asked Mr. Mills campaign team for specific examples on how the ACA have hurt his company and employees, he chose not to answer.