Opinion: For MN health system, landmark legislation

With surprisingly little fanfare, Minnesota is poised this week to take one the most dramatic steps in decades to reform its health care system. Landmark legislation that will soon change how 1.3 million Minnesotans buy health insurance—and hopefully drive down costs by harnessing technology and the power of market competition—has moved with warp speed through a slew of legislative committees with the session just coming up on the midway mark. On Monday, a bill to establish the "Minnesota Insurance Marketplace," an online tool to help consumers buy policies and determine eligibility for financial assistance newly available as the federal health reform law rolls out, will head to the House for floor debate and a possible vote. Companion legislation will likely hit the Senate floor on Thursday.