Tag Archives: mnsure
We Love MinnesotaCare
Posted February 12, 2015
There are a lot of numbers behind MinnesotaCare. It covers 88,000 Minnesotans and keeps premiums down to $50/month for many individuals. MinnesotaCare catches those who fall through the cracks between Medical Assistance and costly private health insurance plans. But you know what’s even better than the numbers? The stories. Take a look at what MinnesotaCare means for Minnesota:
MinnesotaCare means being able to pursue professional dreams. Many folks who are self-employed or who work a variety of part-time jobs rely on MinnesotaCare for their health care. For Gabe, who is pursuing work as a graphic designer, MinnesotaCare gives him the security of knowing he’s covered if his pre-existing condition causes trouble, even as he pursues his career goals.
MinnesotaCare means feeling safe when your world turns upside down. Many people, especially in the last several years, have relied on MinnesotaCare when jobs have moved out-of-state, changed management, or downsized. Without MNCare, Julie wouldn’t have access to health care while she goes through the stressful process of finding a new accounting job, because after losing her job, COBRA was just too expensive. For Jane, MinnesotaCare provided necessary care when her daughter was born with Down syndrome and a hole in her heart.… Continue reading »
MNCare Means Affordable Coverage for Self-Employed
Posted January 12, 2015
So many Minnesotans who are self-employed have struggled to find affordable coverage options.
When Ruth got divorced 15 years ago, her ex-husband continued paying for her health insurance because she is self-employed. However, a few months ago she went in for surgery and was told that she no longer had coverage. She fought to keep the same plan, but ended up paying an unaffordable premium of $350/month.
With the help of a navigator, Ruth enrolled in MNsure and found out that she qualifies for MNCare. Now, she’s got affordable health care that covers her needs.… Continue reading »
MNCare Provides Necessary Care for Chronically Ill
Posted
One of the reasons it is so crucial that we keep MNCare as our basic health plan in MN is that it provides on-going care to so many who suffer from chronic health conditions. Corey is one of those people.
When Corey was 22, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Over the years, he’s been uninsured many times because his employer hasn’t always offered him coverage. Without coverage, he’s gone without his diabetes medication, which has landed him in the hospital. Four years ago, Corey applied and found out he qualifies for MNCare.
Thanks to MNCare, Corey has access to life saving insulin and is therefore able to work and take care of his family.… Continue reading »
MNCare Covers Folks in a Tough Spot
Posted
As we mark the halfway point during this year’s MNsure open enrollment, we’re reminded of how important this basic public health plan is to Minnesotans. All over the state, folks caught without coverage for a variety of reasons rely on MNCare to get the quality health care they need.
For example, John, a resident of Eden Prairie, lost his job two years ago and couldn’t afford the $789/month Cobra premium. So, he went without insurance. When MNsure opened, he enrolled and found out that he qualifies for MNCare. This past fall, John got a much-needed surgery that he would not have been able to afford without MNCare.
Thanks to MNCare, Minnesotans like John know that they can get health care when they’re going through a tough time.… Continue reading »
NEW MNsure Eligibility Chart
Posted October 31, 2014
Worried about your health care coverage? Wondering what you might qualify for this year on the MNsure exchange? Use the charts below to get a quick sense of what kind of health coverage you can get from MNsure, and what your expected monthly cost (premium) might be. Remember, open enrollment starts November 15.
Help Getting Health Care
Posted December 20, 2013
Earlier this year, I couldn’t wait for October 1st when finally we could stop talking about what the ACA might mean for people, and people could start seeing for themselves.
Unfortunately, as we all know, that period of uncertainty has continued a little longer than we expected for many people, because of challenges getting through MNsure, Healthcare.gov, and exchanges around the country.
But there’s a new tool that can help answer those questions for Minnesotans, and your friends and family around the country.
Raise your hand if someone you know has asked a question, posted on facebook, lobbed a tweet, complained or otherwise let you know that they just haven’t been able to figure out what’s out there for them? Raise your other hand if you haven’t been able to figure out what’s out there for you! (And then give your arms a good shake – this waiting and wondering is stressful)
There’s good news.
1) This great new tool takes just a minute to give you a really good idea of what you may qualify for when you complete an application on MNsure. It’s a calculator from Get Covered America and they’ve just updated it with all the great Minnesota-made programs like the rates of private plans on MNsure, MinnesotaCare, and expanded Medical Assistance for kids and pregnant women.… Continue reading »
13 Best Photos of 2013
Posted December 19, 2013
From January to December, see some of the best shots of the action that made big change possible in 2013.
1. We kicked off the year at our Annual Meeting making plans, and asking the legislature to expand and improve MinnesotaCare.
2. In February, we braved the cold with Representative Ray Dehn and the NAACP to file 10 complaints with the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission regarding Target’s hiring practices.
3. The next week hundreds of us stood outside Target Headquarters and asked them to be a leader in closing Minnesota’s worst-in-the-nation racial jobs gap.
4. In March we visited Wells Fargo to shine a spotlight on corporate tax loopholes.
5. We celebrated Minnesota’s new health exchange, and thanked champions like Senator Al Franken for making it possible.
6. In May, we hit the Capitol to ask legislators to ask the wealthiest in our state to pay their fair share in taxes.
7. In June we traveled to Denver with Representative Ray Dehn, ISAIAH, and CTUL for Target’s shareholder meeting.
8. Our members met with Governor Dayton to talk about making our state a place where all Minnesotans can thrive.
9. August isn’t complete without a visit to the State Fair!… Continue reading »
The power of stories
Posted October 20, 2013
I’ve always believed in the power of stories.
As a teacher of history and literature, I use personal narratives to bring lessons and lost eras home to students in the present. And recent research has shown that stories are uniquely effective at imparting shared values and empathy. But the fight for healthcare reform taught me how stories can transform the world.
When my family moved to Minnesota about three years ago, we lived without health insurance for four months while we applied for MinnesotaCare. I’d saved up for a doctor’s visit to get continuous care for my fibromyalgia and depression, but the doctor I’d picked refused to follow the treatment plan I’d been on for over a decade. We couldn’t afford to “shop” for a good doctor through out-of-pocket visits, and I was forced off all my medications. I became couch- and bed-bound with pain and exhaustion. I couldn’t look for work or explore the city we’d moved to–even taking my sons swimming for an hour was enough to use up all the energy I had for the day.
I truly recovered once our MinnesotaCare coverage started, and I was able to resume life as a worker, a mom, and a member of our new community.… Continue reading »
