Reinsurance Signoff Sparks Fight to Save MinnesotaCare

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ State officials aren't sure how they'll cope with
hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding cuts for Minnesota's health
care program for the working poor.

The state got some good news last week as the federal government signed off on
a new program to help lower insurance premiums for 2018. But it's also causing
headaches: That approval was paired with an estimated $369 million cut in
federal support for MinnesotaCare.

MinnesotaCare covers roughly 90,000 residents. Gov. Mark Dayton said Monday
they're still pushing the federal government to reverse those planned cuts.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate and state Rep. Tina Liebling says the state
should scrap the so-called reinsurance due to those cuts. But Dayton says it may
be too late.

The governor says any cuts won't affect consumers in 2018.