MNsure's board takes control of health exchange today

The MNsure board of directors today is expected to formally take control of the new online health insurance marketplace.

More than a million Minnesotans are expected to enroll in health coverage through MNsure, an online site that goes live in a little more than six weeks. Legislation that created MNsure last March calls for state Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter to hand over the MNsure reins once the Board finalizes a number of tasks.

Those tasks include establishing bylaws and policies governing operations, which are expected to be wrapped up at today's board meeting.

One of the board's more controversial powers won't take effect until 2015. Then it will decide which insurance plans will be available for sale on the marketplace, and which are excluded. This year, any plan that meets federal and state certification requirements will be guaranteed to appear on MNsure.

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