Fridley Resident: Insurance Exchange Will Lower Health Costs

A Fridley resident played a part in an especially contentious day at the Minnesota Capitol Monday.

Patty Thomas of Fridley spoke out after a press conference at which Gov. Dayton announced the recommendations of a health insurance exchange advisory task force. He took Republicans to task for not participating in planning for implementation of the 2010 federal health care law.

Thomas,  said she favors formation of a health insurance exchange in Minnesota as a way to lower medical costs, according to according to an ECM Publishers article:

“I think it’s sad,” she said of the lack of Republican participation in the task force. “This is something that’s so needed.”

The article said Thomas, a diabetic, cannot afford private health insurance on her $10.50 per hour wages.

Thomas' comments echoed Dayton's. "It's just a shame that they were not willing to work with us to achieve that goal," Dayton said, in a report aired on Fox 9.

Later Dayton went further, in a bitter response to the Minnesota Senate's rejection of his nominee to head the state's Public Utiilities Commission.