Back in August, during an interview on Plain Talk, North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread said that Congress needed to renew subsidies for Obamacare marketplace policies to avoid a "death spiral" in the insurance market brought on by younger, healthier shoppers reacting to price spikes by giving up their policies.

Well, it's December now. The year is almost over, and Congress hasn't acted. Not only have subsidies not been renewed, majority Republicans haven't even unveiled a plan to address that specific problem, or the larger challenge of spiraling health care and health insurance rates.

On this episode of Plain Talk, Shelly Ten Napel, CEO of the Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas, said many of the tens of thousands of families in our region that get their insurance through the federal marketplace could end up paying twice as much.

"So, without the enhanced premium tax credits, your percent goes up to 9.16 for that family of four, which is $672 a month," she said. So, it's more than double 363 to um 672. And your annual for the year would be over $8,000."

Ten Napel echoed Godfread's point about the "death spiral," pointiing out that younger and healthier insurance customers would probably react rationally to these sort of massive price hikes by leaving the market.

"What we would expect is that probably healthy people will be the first people to drop coverage. So, those younger individuals, those people without current chronic conditions," she said. This would mean that "our risk pool's going to get sicker and so the costs are going to go up for everybody."

Ten Napel said that, even as Congress wallows in dysfunction on this issue and others, there are things states like North Dakota can do to address health care, and thus health insurance, costs. More investment in preventative care, for instance, the neglect of which is akin to "refusing to pay for regular oil changes to save money."

Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discuss the controversy over bonuses in the Retirement and Investment Office, the need for greater transparency when it comes to the economic incentives our state and local governments offer, and the perenially unsuccessful Rick Becker running for elected office, again, in the 2026 cycle.

If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below.

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While the Plain Talk team is taking the holiday off, we're bringing back one of our most-listened-to episodes of the past year — an interview that's become even more relevant as debates over data centers continue across North Dakota.

In this replay, Applied Digital CEO Wes Cummins joins the show to discuss the company's rapid expansion in North Dakota, including two operational data center projects and a third planned near Fargo. That expansion has sparked a high-stakes tug-of-war between the city of Fargo and the city of Harwood, each looking to annex the land and capture the tax revenue generated by the new facility.

He also responds directly to concerns raised around the Harwood project, including public frustration over nondisclosure agreements signed by local officials, questions about transparency, and fears that large data-center power demands could drive up electric rates for residents.

Whether you've followed the Harwood–Fargo battle closely or you're just trying to understand what data centers mean for North Dakota's economy, energy grid, and future competitiveness, this conversation is worth a listen.

We'll be back with a new episode on December 3 — enjoy the replay and the rest of your holiday weekend!

Robin Nelson, a member of the Fargo School Board who is chairing a ballot measure committee aimed at universal school lunches, says her group tried to get their goal accomplished through the legislative process. It didn't work, so now they're taking their case to the voters.

"We went through two legislative sessions, and we're thankful. There was some movement, but that is not what our goal was," she said on this episode of Plain Talk, referring to expansions to the lunch program made by lawmakers. "We respectfully followed that process, and due to the overwhelming support through polls in the state of North Dakota that support this concept of universal school meals, the next logical step was to take it to the voters in an initiated measure."

Nelson took questions on how the measure will work, including how it will cover school lunches served through the existing program in private and tribal schools, as well as what it will cost.

When a bill similar to what Nelson and her group are looking to put on the ballot was considered by lawmakers earlier this year, the Department of Public Instruction estimated the cost at $140 million. "I think it's a fair estimate" of what this new measure would cost if implemented, Nelson said, though she also pointed out that a new fiscal note will be created through the ballot measure process.

If the measure passes, it would shift the cost of paying for the school lunch program away from just parents, who foot the bill through user fees, and to the broader tax base. Nelson said it will also cut out some red tape at the schools which must currently levy and collect lunch fees. "We won't have to worry about collection efforts," she said. "It will save a lot of time on the back end.

Also on this episode, my co-host Chad Oban and I discuss Sen. Kevin Cramer's tough trip to Halifax, and we respond to some reader messages.

If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive