MNsure extends deadline for those seeking premium relief

Jan. 29--Some Minnesotans who buy their health insurance through the MNsure online exchange are getting an extra week to take advantage of a new 25 percent price reduction funded by the state.

MNsure officials announced Saturday that they are creating a one-week extension of the open enrollment period to buy a 2017 health plan, or to go back and change their plan to take advantage of the premium reduction.

Enrollment on the MNsure website will now be available until Feb. 8, instead of ending on Jan. 31.

The announcement from MNsure said the new law provides an automatic 25 percent reduction in health insurance premiums for more than 125,000 Minnesotans facing significant price hikes in the 2017 individual market, though some restrictions apply.

The reduction is funded by a $312 million state appropriation that was signed by the governor just five days before the original open enrollment deadline. The timing of the new law presented created exceptional circumstances that justified the one-week extension, MNsure said.

"Given how close enactment of the premium relief bill was to the deadline for open enrollment, we believe Minnesotans needed more time to benefit from this important opportunity to lower their monthly health insurance bill by 25 percent," MNsure CEO Allison O'Toole said in a news release Saturday.

Health insurance purchased through MNsure during the special enrollment period between Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 will become effective March 1.

The 25 percent discount is supposed to be automatically reflected in enrollees' April 2017 statements from their insurance companies, and should not require them to take any additional action if they've already purchased a 2017 health plan through MNsure.

If enrollees with individual coverage through the exchange decide to change their plan during the special period, any medical expenditures they make before March 1 will not count toward the deductible in their new plan. Those individuals will need to call the toll-free MNsure Contact Center to change their plans at (855) 366-7873.

The new discount is not available to those who qualify for advanced premium tax credits (APTC), which offer lower monthly premiums based on household size and income levels. The new discount also does not apply to Minnesotans who get their coverage through the MinnesotaCare or Medical Assistance programs.

"If you don't qualify for APTC, MinnesotaCare or Medical Assistance, then you do qualify for a premium rebate," the MNsure website says, noting that the discount applies only to plans purchased on MNsure, not provided through an employer.

"I'm very glad that MNsure will be able to extend its enrollment deadline for another week," Gov. Mark Dayton said Saturday in an e-mailed statement.

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