Both the head of MNsure, Minnesota’s state healthcare exchange, and Minnesota’s Medicaid director vacationed together in November while the healthcare exchange was experimenting serious problems, KSTP TV reports.
The vacation in Costa Rica, which lasted eight business days, came "during a crucial time for the healthcare exchange" KSTP’s Stephen Tellier said. MNsure head, April Todd-Malmlov, and Minnesota Medicaid director, Jim Golden, have both come under heavy criticism for leaving their jobs at such a critical time.
Said University of Minnesota political analyst Larry Jacobs:
"The public relations gaffe of going to the tropics during a difficult period in health reform in Minnesota is now compounded by questions about the difficulties of having two people being in a relationship in charge of important components of health reform."
