MNsure routes 1,400 to coverage as COVID-19 spreads

The state's MNsure exchange steered more than 1,400 people toward public and private health insurance coverage on Monday, the first day of a special enrollment period designed for uninsured Minnesotans to get covered as COVID-19 spreads.

MNsure doesn't collect data on why people use the health insurance exchange, but the numbers could reflect a mix of motives ranging from people concerned about health costs with the pandemic to those seeking new coverage after recently losing jobs.

"Our [call center] took 2,136 calls on Monday -- more than double the daily average for all of March," MNsure said in a statement to the Star Tribune.

On Monday, MNsure found that 815 individuals seeking coverage likely qualify for Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare, state-subsidized health insurance programs that cover people with little or no income. Enrollment in the programs is open throughout the year and is not limited to the special enrollment period.

In addition, the state's health insurance exchange processed sign-ups by 653 individuals for private health plans sold by nonprofit health insurers. An unspecified number of those sign-ups stemmed from life events such as job losses that make individuals eligible for special enrollment at any time, a MNsure spokeswoman said.

"Premium pricing has not changed," MNsure said in a statement. "State regulators have approved rates for the 2020 plan year and those rates will remain in place for special enrollment plans."

Run by the state government, MNsure is an online marketplace where people who don't get coverage from an employer can buy health insurance. Many qualify for federal subsidies that discount the cost of private coverage under the federal Affordable Care Act, which provided funding for Minnesota to launch the exchange in 2014.

The MNsure system also determines, based on income and other factors, whether individuals might qualify for the state's public health insurance programs. Medical Assistance is Minnesota's version of Medicaid, which covers several groups of state residents including those at or below the poverty line. MinnesotaCare covers a slightly higher-income group.

The 815 people routed by MNsure toward the public programs don't necessarily have coverage yet, since they may need to verify information to activate benefits, MNsure says.

Last week, MNsure announced a special enrollment period for individuals seeking private coverage that started Monday. Residents can select a health plan by April 21 for coverage beginning April 1. (Sign-ups next month are retroactive to the first of the month.)

Coverage via MNsure comes from four carriers selling on the exchange: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, HealthPartners, Medica and UCare.

In recent weeks, health insurers across the country, including Minnetonka-based UnitedHealthcare, have committed to waiving out-of-pocket costs for people who need coronavirus testing.

UnitedHealthcare, which is the nation's largest health insurer, said Tuesday it's launching a special enrollment period that could let some people in employer groups access benefits as COVID-19 spreads. It's up to individual employers, however, to decide if they want to extend the enrollment opportunity to workers.

Christopher Snowbeck • 612-673-4744

Twitter: @chrissnowbeck

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