Tina Liebling on Health Care

ObamaCare was a valiant attempt but did not go far enough

The Affordable Care Act was a valiant attempt to improve a failing insurance system. While it has done a lot of good, it did not go far enough. A system based on insurance will always be costly, complicated, and wasteful for patients, doctors, and employers. "Preserving the market" for insurance is the wrong goal. Our goal must be making sure that every Minnesotan can access quality health care at a price they can afford.

We waste billions of dollars deciding who gets care, how much, and at what price--instead of paying for the care we need. Minnesota can lead the nation in moving toward a system where people can choose who provides their health care but don't have to deal with insurance companies. Some call this "single payer." Whatever we call it, we need to remove the barriers between Minnesotans and health care.