SAINT PAUL, MN — Today, Senator Matt Klein (DFL–Mendota Heights), Chair of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, issued the following statement in response to news that Medica intends to acquire UCare, one of Minnesota’s nonprofit health plans:
“Minnesota is a leader in healthcare in part because of our competitive, mission-driven health insurance marketplace. I am deeply concerned about the long-term implications of shrinking consumer choice, particularly as Minnesota braces for unprecedented instability within both the provider and payer landscape.
When the number of viable insurance plans decreases, patients lose options, communities lose bargaining power, and the entire healthcare marketplace becomes more fragile. This announcement come amid broader market disruption, as federal Medicaid cuts passed by Republicans are threatening care access for the state’s most vulnerable residents and placing extraordinary strain on already overextended hospitals, clinics, long-term care providers, and safety-net organizations.
I will continue to monitor developments, assess legislative oversight needs, and seek input from consumers, providers, and agencies across the state to fight for consumer choice, patient access, and quality of care in our healthcare system.” ####
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