Minnesota's section 1332 innovation waiver gained CMS approval Sept. 22.
The ACA's section 1332 waivers allow states to opt out of specific requirements of the law to establish different health coverage models. To garner approval, the models must have similarly comprehensive benefits and be as affordable, comparable in terms of number of state residents covered and not increase the federal deficit.
Here are three things to know about Minnesota's waiver.
1. The waiver allows Minnesota to bypass the ACA's single risk pool requirement to establish the Minnesota Premium Security Plan.
2. Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, DFL, said the waiver will lower 2018 exchange plan premiums for 166,000 residents by an average 20 percent.
3. Mr. Dayton signed the federal waiver Oct. 16. However, he opposed CMS' proposed cuts to the state's health insurance program for lower income residents, which covers 100,000 enrollees. That program, MinnesotaCare, will retain current operations through 2018.
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