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.
Minnesota Health Plans Waiving Cost-Sharing for COVID-19 Testing and Treatment
The Minnesota Council of Health Plans announced that Minnesota’s nonprofit health plans are voluntarily waiving cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing and in-patient treatment for enrollees as part of a framework to support and protect the health of Minnesotans amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
“The health and safety of Minnesotans are the highest priorities of the nonprofit plans we represent,” said Lucas Nesse, president and CEO of the Council. “Uniform access to appropriate and affordable treatment is critical to controlling the scope of the pandemic, particularly for those with underlying medical conditions.”
Minnesota’s nonprofit health plans that have committed to this framework:
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield/Blue Plus of Minnesota
- HealthPartners
- Hennepin Health
- Medica
- PreferredOne
- UCare
For more information and to review the latest guidance from our state and federal officials, please visit:
Minnesota Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
News
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New Partnership Appeals to Minnesotans to Act Now to Control Spread of COVID-19
FightCovidMN, a groundbreaking partnership of the state’s hospitals and health systems, health plans and statewide associations, has launched a hard-hitting and disruptive campaign, “COVID-19 Isn’t Taking A Holiday,” to urgently motivate Minnesotans to mask up, keep their distance and do their part to fight the community spread of COVID-19. now.
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Lucas Nesse Joins Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Leadership Trust
Lucas Nesse, CEO of the Minnesota Council of Health Plans, was chosen to participate in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Leadership Trust, an exclusive community for influential business leaders, executives and entrepreneurs in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Nesse was selected for membership by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Leadership Trust Selection Committee due to his experience, […]
News Coverage
2020
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KSTP
Minnesota health plans extend cost-sharing waivers for COVID-19 through end of 2020
Minnesota health plans on Thursday announced that they've extended cost-sharing waivers for in-patient COVID-19 treatment through the end of the year. The waivers were initially in place until the end of September.
Our Blog
This Holiday Season, Let’s Protect Ourselves and Each Other
Lucas Nesse, CEO of the Minnesota Council of Health Plans, stresses the importance of preventing the spread of COVID-19 this holiday season. This means protecting your friends and loved ones, protecting your community and protecting yourself. We all know the holidays as a time to come together and be close, but we need to think differently this year.
Pre-Existing Conditions: A Refresher Course
A pre-existing condition is any health condition you have before your health insurance coverage starts. The ACA offers important protections for Americans living with pre-existing conditions. In light of this, it’s important to remember what pre-existing conditions are, including how the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. the ACA, or “Obamacare”) changed how insurance companies treat them.
Honoring World Mental Health Day
The Council is sharing the mental health work being done by Minnesota’s nonprofit health plans and some of the free online resources that are available for those who need it. Our local health plan members care deeply about the health, safety and wellness of Minnesotans and in recent months, they’ve ramped up efforts even more to meet Minnesotans’ mental health needs.
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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.
The Facts About Prescription Drugs
Even if you don’t need prescription drugs you’re paying for them in your premiums each month. And those have become more and more expensive. Why and what can we do about it? You’ll find more information here.
Diabetes medication has been unaffordable for many – and we are working to change that
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. Given the ongoing concerns around insulin, the Minnesota Legislature passed the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act in the spring of 2020 with broad bipartisan support, and Gov. Walz signed the legislation on April 15. The act gives emergency access to diabetics and mandates that manufacturers provide longer-term assistance to patients who meet certain qualifications. The Council testified about the rising costs of insulin multiple times and played a key role in getting this legislation passed.
