It_PNP was_VBD n't_XX0 yet_AV0 time_NN1 to_TO0 put_VVI a_AT0 stop_NN1 to_PRP a_AT0 stopgap_NN1 state_NN1 program_NN1 that_CJT has_VHZ helped_VVN lower_AJC health_NN1 insurance_NN1 premiums_NN2 in_PRP Minnesota_NP0 since_PRP 2018._CRD Fortunately_AV0 ,_PUN Minnesota_NP0 lawmakers_NN2 agreed_VVD ,_PUN with_PRP end-of-session_AJ0 dealmaking_NN1 sensibly_AV0 yielding_VVG a_AT0 one-year_AJ0 extension_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 pioneering_AJ0 "_PUQ reinsurance_NN1 "_PUQ program_NN1 ._SENT But_CJC next_ORD year_NN1 ,_PUN legislators_NN2 need_VVB to_TO0 look_VVI hard_AJ0 at_PRP putting_VVG an_AT0 expiration_NN1 date_NN1 on_PRP what_DTQ was_VBD supposed_AJ0 to_TO0 be_VBI a_AT0 short-term_AJ0 solution_NN1 for_PRP sharp_AJ0 price_NN1 increases_VVZ in_PRP the_AT0 individual_AJ0 health_NN1 insurance_NN1 market_NN1 ._SENT If_CJS lawmakers_NN2 wo_VM0 n't_XX0 do_VDI that_DT0 ,_PUN then_AV0 funding_NN1 alternatives_NN2 should_VM0 be_VBI considered_VVN to_TO0 reduce_VVI the_AT0 program_NN1 's_POS reliance_NN1 on_PRP state_NN1 dollars_NN2 ._SENT Legislators_NN2 passed_VVD reinsurance_NN1 in_PRP 2017_CRD in_PRP response_NN1 to_PRP steep_AJ0 rate_NN1 increases_VVZ in_PRP the_AT0 individual_AJ0 health_NN1 insurance_NN1 market_NN1 after_PRP the_AT0 Affordable_AJ0 Care_NN1 Act_NN1 's_POS launch_NN1 ._SENT This_DT0 market_NN1 serves_VVZ about_PRP 167_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD Minnesotans_NN2 who_PNQ buy_VVB private_AJ0 coverage_NN1 on_PRP their_DPS own_DT0 instead_AV0 of_PRF getting_VVG it_PNP through_PRP an_AT0 employer_NN1 or_CJC from_PRP a_AT0 public_AJ0 program_NN1 ._SENT Since_CJS it_PNP went_VVD into_PRP effect_NN1 in_PRP 2018_CRD ,_PUN it_PNP has_VHZ effectively_AV0 lowered_VVN individual_AJ0 market_NN1 insurance_NN1 premium_NN1 rates_NN2 20_CRD %_NN0 each_DT0 year_NN1 from_PRP what_DTQ they_PNP otherwise_AV0 would_VM0 have_VHI been_VBN ,_PUN according_VVG to_PRP the_AT0 state_NN1 Department_NN1 of_PRF Commerce_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 program_NN1 ,_PUN championed_VVN by_PRP Minnesota_NP0 Republicans_NN2 and_CJC supported_VVN by_PRP the_AT0 Editorial_AJ0 Board_NN1 ,_PUN has_VHZ helped_VVN stabilize_VVI this_DT0 narrow_AJ0 but_CJC important_AJ0 market_NN1 ._SENT But_CJC reinsurance_NN1 comes_VVZ with_PRP trade-offs_NN2 ._SENT It_PNP uses_VVZ public_AJ0 funds_NN2 to_TO0 help_VVI pay_VVI the_AT0 medical_AJ0 costs_NN2 of_PRF private_AJ0 health_NN1 insurance_NN1 enrollees_NN2 who_PNQ require_VVB a_AT0 lot_NN1 of_PRF medical_AJ0 care_NN1 ._SENT Once_CJS an_AT0 enrollee_NN1 's_POS annual_AJ0 medical_AJ0 care_NN1 bills_NN2 fall_VVB between_PRP $_NN0 50_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD and_CJC $_NN0 250_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD ,_PUN the_AT0 reinsurance_NN1 program_NN1 covers_VVZ 80_CRD %_NN0 of_PRF the_AT0 cost_NN1 ._SENT Insurance_NN1 companies_NN2 pay_VVB the_AT0 remaining_AJ0 20_CRD %_NN0 ,_PUN though_CJS they_PNP 're_VBB once_AV0 again_AV0 on_PRP the_AT0 hook_NN1 for_PRP 100_CRD %_NN0 of_PRF the_AT0 costs_NN2 once_CJS the_AT0 bill_NN1 tops_VVZ $_NN0 250_CRD ,_PUN 000._CRD Yes_ITJ ,_PUN this_DT0 can_VM0 add_VVI up_AVP to_PRP substantial_AJ0 sums_NN2 ._SENT In_PRP 2019_CRD ,_PUN it_PNP was_VBD about_AV0 $_NN0 150_CRD million_CRD ._SENT In_PRP 2020_CRD ,_PUN it_PNP came_VVD to_PRP $_NN0 160_CRD million_CRD ._SENT The_AT0 program_NN1 relies_VVZ on_PRP a_AT0 mix_NN1 of_PRF federal_AJ0 and_CJC state_NN1 funding_NN1 ._SENT Reinsurance_NN1 also_AV0 has_VHZ a_AT0 lesser-known_AJ0 cost_NN1 ._SENT Its_DPS existence_NN1 lowers_VVZ the_AT0 amount_NN1 of_PRF federal_AJ0 funding_NN1 the_AT0 state_NN1 receives_VVZ for_PRP MinnesotaCare_NP0 ,_PUN which_DTQ helps_VVZ those_DT0 who_PNQ make_VVB too_AV0 much_DT0 to_TO0 qualify_VVI for_PRP medical_AJ0 assistance_NN1 but_CJC too_AV0 little_AJ0 to_TO0 comfortably_AV0 afford_VVI private_AJ0 insurance_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 connection_NN1 is_VBZ complex_AJ0 ,_PUN but_CJC the_AT0 federal_AJ0 aid_NN1 formula_NN1 for_PRP MinnesotaCare_NP0 is_VBZ tied_VVN to_PRP the_AT0 cost_NN1 of_PRF private_AJ0 insurance_NN1 ,_PUN and_CJC lower_AJC rates_NN2 reduce_VVB federal_AJ0 dollars_NN2 for_PRP the_AT0 program_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 Commerce_NN1 Department_NN1 estimates_VVZ a_AT0 loss_NN1 of_PRF about_AV0 $_NN0 100_CRD million_CRD a_AT0 year_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 Biden_NP0 administration_NN1 will_VM0 hopefully_AV0 fix_VVI this_DT0 ._SENT That_DT0 said_VVD ,_PUN it_PNP 's_VBZ still_AV0 time_NN1 to_TO0 consider_VVI reinsurance_NN1 's_POS future_NN1 ._SENT A_AT0 key_AJ0 question_NN1 centers_NN2 on_PRP newly_AV0 expanded_AJ0 eligibility_NN1 for_PRP Affordable_AJ0 Care_NN1 Act_NN1 aid_NN1 that_CJT instantly_AV0 discounts_VVZ monthly_AJ0 premiums_NN2 ._SENT 
