$36 million to support county and Tribal efforts to renew Minnesotans' health insurance

Counties and the White Earth Nation will soon receive extra financial support for helping Minnesotans with Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare renew their insurance.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services is sending $36 million to counties and White Earth, the only Tribe in the state to process public health care program renewals. Payments will go out in July.

The funds will cover costs such as addressing health disparities, hiring and training staff, paying overtime, and reaching out to enrollees. Amounts depend on how many Medical Assistance enrollees live in each jurisdiction.

For northeastern Minnesota, those amounts are as follows: Itasca County: 12,861 recipients, 0.932 percent, amount $335,409 Koochiching County: 3,179 recipients, 0.230 percent, amount $82,907 St. Louis County: 49,359 recipients, 3.576 percent, amount $1,287,260

More than 1.5 million Minnesotans must renew Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare by May 2024.

"Our partners are working hard with us to help every eligible Minnesotan keep their health insurance. I've been impressed with some of their creative ideas," said Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead. "We deeply appreciate their efforts."

People who have Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare should watch their mail for their renewal forms. When the forms arrive, they should fill them out and send them in with any required documentation as soon as possible to keep their insurance.

The legislature and Governor Tim Walz approved the one-time funding as part of the state's response to the end of the COVID-19 federal public health emergency.

"We're grateful that the state recognizes the importance of this work," said Julie Ring, executive director of the Association of Minnesota Counties. "We look forward to continuing our partnership to keep Minnesotans covered."

For more information about Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare renewals, including a renewal month lookup tool, visit mn.gov/dhs/renewmycoverage.