Minnesota Health Plan advances in Senate, opponents grilled

On Tuesday, the Minnesota Health Plan Act, which would make the state of Minnesota the insurance pool for all residents, passed by a 7-3 margin with no Republican support in the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. The bill advances to the Senate, where its odds of passage this year are slim. But the animated debate put into sharp relief views about health care — as a right or a privilege, a community good or a consumer choice.