Getting care
The Minnesota Council of Health Plans has worked for more than 30 years to improve care for everyone. We work with local health insurance companies that serve communities, not Wall Street shareholders, to make sure Minnesotans get the care they need, today and in the future.
Even if you don’t need prescription drugs you’re paying for them in your premiums each month. And those drugs are getting more and more expensive. Why and what can we do about it? You’ll find a lot more information here.
Diabetes medication unaffordable for many today
The price of insulin — a lifesaving drug — has increased more 240 percent over the past decade. That means prices have jumped from $90 to often more than $300 a vial. Listen to what U of M pharmacy school professor Angie Carlson, Ph.D., has to say about insulin. Carlson sat down with Council staff to talk about stories like this one about a man from Minneapolis who died because he needed insulin, and share her 40 years of experience in the industry. Carlson’s question is how long should people have to pay for improvements that have been available for 30 years. Minnesota’s Attorney General is suing drug companies for pricing insulin out of reach for many patients.
What's happened with insulin?
Council Work
July 1: State begins changes for Medicaid, MinnesotaCare prescription drug lists
More than 55,200 people who get care through Prepaid Medical Assistance Program and MinnesotaCare may have to change medications the next time they need a refill.
read moreNews Coverage
2019
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Star Tribune
Flight from health insurance market in Minnesota slows
The state’s individual health insurance market got even smaller last year, according to a new state report, but the annual rate of decline slowed significantly.
Interesting National Stories
Health care expenses are more than just the parts you see
In an Axios column, Drew Altman from the Kaiser Family Foundation looks at total family spending for health including taxes and health benefits, and why people need to understand it to assess proposals like Medicare-for-All. Read the understanding health care spending column.
Kaiser has created a calculator to help families learn what they pay, both directly and indirectly for health care. Take a look.
Get Care
Lost your insurance card? No problem. Want to find out how much you’ll pay or compare prices for care you need? Can you get care online? Wondering how the quality of the care you get is measured?
It’s all here.
Get Insurance
Insurance helps you pay medical bills, everything from the entire bill for preventive care that helps keep you well to helping pay for prescriptions and care when you need it. Insurance companies also do a lot of work behind the scenes to help you be well and ensure you get good care.
Understand Insurance
We all need care—not only medical care when we’re sick or injured—but also preventive care to keep us well. Health insurance is how we join together to pay for care because it’s too expensive to pay for on our own.
From the Council’s Members
What Our Members Are Talking About
kstp.com
Last week, the Minnesota Hospital Associated asked officials to investigate Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota over site of service policies ...
‘This is our second chance. If I can do it, you can too.’
healthpartners.com
Patient-turned-nurse Athena Galvan makes every moment matter at the Regions Hospital Burn Center – because for her, it’s personal
My beautiful wife and daughters!
Melissa Tousignant
Lyle was a great leader!
Lyle is truly one of the greats!
Outdoor therapy: a real-life experience for ND kids with disabilities
kxnet.com
Physical, occupational and speech therapy are all an integral part of the lives of many children. One program is doing these types of therapy a little bit differently this week. Most of the time ki&he...
healthwise.net
Many people are affected by mental health problems such as depression or panic disorders. These problems can make it harder to think clearly, manage how you feel, and work with other people. Sometimes...
