MNsure Assistance Availabe

Dear Neighbors and Friends,

Here’s a brief update on the status of Minnesota’s health insurance exchange, known as MNsure, and some information to help those who are experiencing challenges enrolling in new health plans.

As you may know, MNsure launched in October with the lowest premium rates in the country. For the first time, these health plans could not deny Minnesotans with pre-existing conditions, did not have lifetime limits, included out-of-pocket spending caps, and covered preventive care.

Unfortunately, it became clear that there were significant technical problems with the website, leading to long wait times for people using the call center. While most Minnesotans seeking to enroll are now able to do so, these problems are not acceptable and I’ve joined my colleagues in demanding swift action from MNsure and the contractors responsible.

And I’m happy to report that there has been progress. Over the last several weeks, MNsure has taken — and continues to take — concrete steps to identify and address the technical issues with their website and call center. Now, the percent of customers able to get through the eligibility determination process has improved from 70 percent to 98 percent. Wait times for people utilizing the call center have dropped considerably.

But if you or someone you know is still experiencing problems with enrollment through MNsure, please contact me and my office will work with you to solve the problem. You can reach me at 651-296-3533, or Rep.Sandra.Masin@House.MN. We will keep working to ensure that Minnesotans who need affordable coverage can obtain it as soon as possible.

To date, nearly 100,000 Minnesotans have completed an application for health insurance through MNsure, many of them for the first time in their lives, and at the lowest rates in the nation.  One enrollee is a brain cancer survivor who was being forced to choose between paying her family's mortgage or buying health insurance – until she went to MNsure. Another is a small business owner who is saving $3,000 per year compared to what she was paying before she went to MNsure. 

There are many more stories like theirs, and that’s why we cannot go back to the days when the insurance companies offered policies that left thousands of Minnesotans with poor coverage, or no coverage. We need to work together to address the remaining issues, because all Minnesotans should have access to high-quality insurance at an affordable price.

Sincerely,

Rep. Sandra Masin