NATION IN BRIEF : MINNESOTA : Health Insurance Access Law Signed

Gov. Arne Carlson signed into law a measure proponents said makes Minnesota a leader in efforts to provide health insurance for every resident. The law is designed to guarantee access to health insurance to more than 150,000 people who now have none. The fees they would pay range from minimal amounts for the very poor to about $300 a month for a family earning $30,000 a year. The program would be paid for in part by a 2% tax on fees charged by physicians and hospitals. The law calls for creation of a 26-member commission to devise a plan to curb the growth of health care spending.