ST. PAUL, Minn.—Minnesotans looking for private health insurance coverage starting January 1, 2022, have one week left to enroll through MNsure, Minnesota’s health insurance marketplace.
If you’re currently uninsured, self-employed, or lack access to coverage through your employer, now is the time to visit MNsure.org and check your options. More than 170 health and dental plans are available for 2022 through MNsure, and every county in Minnesota has at least 19 separate health insurance plan options to choose from.
MNsure is your one-stop shop for finding the right health coverage that fits your needs, and it’s the only place where you can access benefits that can save you money. “Don’t assume you earn too much money to qualify for tax credits that lower the cost of your monthly premiums,” said MNsure CEO Nate Clark. “Federal assistance has expanded the benefits available through MNsure and more Minnesotans are eligible for savings in 2022 than ever before."
It's important to remember that unlike most states, Minnesota (and New York) operate Basic Health Plan (BHP) programs (also created by the ACA, although Minnesota's program, called MinnesotaCare, actually existed prior to the ACA and was simply retooled after the law passed). BHP programs fit in between Medicaid expansion (which covers adults earning up to 138% FPL) and standard ACA Qualified Health Plans (QHPs), which start at 200% FPL and above in MN/NY.
As a result, Minnesota & New York ACA enrollees who earn between 138 - 200% FPL are enrolled in MinnesotaCare instead, which significantly reduces the number of Minnesotans officially listed as being "ACA exchange enrollees."
Biden-Harris Administration Extends Millions in Funding to Minnesota for MinnesotaCare, its Basic Health Program, Key Connection to Coverage Supported by American Rescue Plan
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is providing approximately $100 million in additional funding in 2022 to support MinnesotaCare, Minnesota’s Basic Health Program (BHP), as well as added funds for 2020 and 2021. The additional funds, made available through the American Rescue Plan, increase Minnesota’s ability to provide affordable, quality health care coverage to approximately 100,000 individuals.
ST. PAUL, Minn.—Today, November 1, marks the beginning of MNsure’s open enrollment period. Open enrollment refers to the once-a-year opportunity when all Minnesotans can enroll in affordable, comprehensive health and dental coverage through MNsure, Minnesota’s health insurance marketplace.
This year, Minnesota’s open enrollment will run from November 1 until January 15, 2022, with two important deadlines:
Minnesotans must enroll by December 15, 2021, to get coverage beginning January 1, 2022.
Minnesotans have until January 15, 2022, the last day of open enrollment, to enroll in coverage beginning February 1, 2022.
“No matter where you live or how much money you earn, MNsure has health insurance options for you and your family,” said CEO Nate Clark. “MNsure offers free help from our health insurance experts so you can access all the savings you may qualify for and find the right plan to meet your needs and support your unique life story.”
via MNsure (this is actually from a couple of weeks ago, but still):
Shop and Compare Health Coverage for 2022
ST. PAUL, Minn.—With open enrollment starting in less than three weeks, Minnesotans who need private health insurance can explore health and dental plans available for 2022 through MNsure, Minnesota’s health insurance marketplace.
MNsure’s open enrollment period starts November 1 and runs through January 15, 2022, but Minnesotans can use MNsure’s plan comparison tool now to preview insurance plans, compare options, and see what savings they may qualify for.
In every county, Minnesotans will have at least 19 separate health insurance plan options to choose from through MNsure.
Minnesota Families Will Save an Average of $684 per Year and Access More Heath Plan Choices in 2022
ST. PAUL, Minn.—The Minnesota Department of Commerce and MNsure released information today on 2022 health plan rates and options in advance of the open enrollment period, which begins November 1.
On average, Minnesota families will save $684 per year and will be able to access more health plan choices than previous years. More Minnesotans than ever before are eligible to receive tax credits to lower monthly premium costs through federal funding provided in the American Rescue Plan. Minnesotans who buy their own individual health insurance for 2022 will have access to hundreds of dollars in savings when choosing health plans via MNsure. Minnesotans will also be able to choose from more health plan options being offered through MNsure.
The Minnesota Commerce Dept. has posted preliminary 2022 ACA rate filings for the individual and small group markets. Final/approved rate changes will likely be posted in just a few weeks.
Overall I don't see any significant changes to the offerings from 2021 other than PreferredOne appearing to eliminate one of their two lines on both markets. Also, UnitedHealthcare of Illinois appears to be scrapping their entire line of existing plans on the small group market and replacing them with all-new policies, which means there's technically no current rates for them to compare against.
The other important thing to keep in mind for the small group market is that I can't seem to find the actual current enrollment data for each carrier, so I'm basing the weighted average on 2020 enrollment, which could be way off if there's been significant market share shifts this year.
Federal COBRA Subsidies are Ending This Month, but Minnesotans Have Affordable Health Coverage Options Through MNsure
ST. PAUL, Minn.—The federal subsidy for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, or COBRA, expires on September 30. The subsidy, part of the American Rescue Plan stimulus package, has helped unemployed Minnesotans who chose to continue with their workplace health insurance plan stay covered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Minnesotans who are losing this COBRA subsidy and are looking to keep their health care costs low should visit MNsure.org today to check out their health coverage options and see how much they can save,” said MNsure CEO Nate Clark. “Avoiding a gap in health coverage is more important than ever, so don’t wait.”
I'm gonna be posting mea culpas for a few days for missing important ACA-related announcements over the past few weeks.
As I've noted several times before, the American Rescue Plan includes an extremely helpful provision for any American who received unemployment benefits at any point during 2021. The short version is that if you received UI benefits for even a single week this year and want to enroll in ACA exchange coverage, your household income will be defined as being 133% of the Federal Poverty Level for purposes of ACA subsidy eligibility regardless of how high or low your actual 2021 income ends up being.
This means, in turn, that you're eligible for a fully-subsidized ACA exchange plan...that is, there will be at least one Silver plan available for $0/month in premiums after subsidies are applied.
Did You have Unemployment Income in 2021? You may Qualify for Health Insurance with a $0/Month Premium
July 20, 2021
ST. PAUL, Minn.—Minnesotans who received unemployment income at any time in 2021 now can access extremely low-cost health insurance through MNsure.
The new benefits were implemented as part of the American Rescue Plan legislation enacted earlier this year. New federal subsidies for private health insurance on MNsure act as an instant discount for consumers, lowering the cost for monthly premiums. Some Minnesotans can find a plan with a premium as low as $0 per month.
