Dayton probably isn't the only Minnesotan who's lost sleep over the launch. Website problems have delayed or denied many who have tried to sign up for health insurance through the state exchange.
Minnesotans deserve answers to the many questions being raised about the botched rollout. To that end, the state's legislative auditor, a legislative oversight committee and MNsure's board of directors all have begun separate examinations of MNsure. The three reviews are essential in order to hold public officials and vendors accountable — and to restore credibility in the exchange and state government.
MNsure officials, as well as the vendors involved in implementing the state exchange, should fully cooperate with these efforts. But the burgeoning controversy cannot become an excuse for MNsure. Its mission must remain to provide Minnesotans access to health insurance.
In the meantime, state residents should have full faith that the Office of the Legislative Auditor will deliver an accurate, impartial and thorough analysis of the website's problems. Jim Nobles, who is serving his sixth six-year term as legislative auditor, has the impeccable credentials and broad bipartisan support needed to determine what went wrong.
Regardless of the performance of the website, Nobles' office would have examined the program because of the $155 million in federal funding that MNsure has received since February 2011. But the auditor's review will dig much deeper and include an analysis of MNsure's governance, especially the role the board of directors has played. Appropriately, Nobles also will look at the performance of the Dayton administration.
Dayton told an editorial writer that he has "great respect" for Nobles and welcomes the review. "I think it's very important that all of us involved and the public get an accurate analysis of what's occurred with MNsure," he said.
Despite not directly overseeing MNsure, the governor is deeply involved. On Dec. 13, he sent a sharply worded letter to the CEO of IBM with a specific list of unresolved issues. Dayton was right to use his office to get a high-level, immediate response. But when the letter became public, it appeared to many Minnesotans that MNsure's problems were mostly due to poor performance by outside contractors. Instead, news reports and information discussed Thursday at a legislative hearing revealed that MNsure pushed its lead technology vendor aside and assumed responsibility for constructing the website and technical infrastructure last February. Today, by concept and contract, MNsure is ultimately responsible to make the exchange work.
