 During the debate on health care reform , Franken was one of the strongest supporters of a single @-@ payer system . He authored an amendment , called the Medical Loss Ratio , to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that required insurance companies spend at least 80 % of premiums on actual health care costs , rising to 85 % for large group plans . In June 2013 , it was reported that the amendment had saved consumers $ 3 @.@ 4 billion on premiums and resulted in nationwide rebates of $ 1 @.@ 1 billion in 2012 and $ 500 million in 2013 . On September 30 , 2013 , Franken voted to remove a provision which would repeal the medical device tax in Obamacare from a government funding bill . Although Franken says he is in favor of the provision , he disagreed with it being used as a condition in preventing the 2013 federal government shutdown . 
