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State Representative Paul Thissen
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-5375
For more information contact: Michael Howard 651-296-8873
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16,000 uninsured Minnesota kids to receive health coverage
Department of Human Services to implement reforms
Saint Paul, Minnesota – Over 70,000 Minnesota children do not have health insurance in Minnesota, but over 16,000 of those children will now be covered due to implementation of health care reforms passed by the Minnesota State Legislature in 2009. The Minnesota Department of Human Services announced they will implement changes that will reduce barriers to insurance for Minnesota children. House Minority Leader Paul Thissen (DFL – Minneapolis), who authored the legislation in 2009, said covering more kids is the right thing to do and a positive step forward to making Minnesota’s health care system more affordable for all Minnesota families.
“Minnesota is a leader in health care, but having 70,000 kids without insurance is unacceptable and un-Minnesotan,” said Thissen. “The common sense reforms we passed in 2009 -- removing artificial barriers and patching gaps that kept many kids from seeing a doctor or nurse -- will help us keep kids healthier which means they will do better in school and have fewer chronic health conditions later in life. I am very excited these reforms are becoming reality.”
This announcement comes days after a report found that Minnesota has slipped in its national ranking for health care coverage for kids. A report released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation found Minnesota is fifth-best for child well-being. This is the first time in the last ten years that Minnesota has ranked lower than third.
“No law or insurance policy should stand between children-in-need and health care,” said Commissioner Jesson. “The legislative changes that the Department of Human Services has implemented will remove unnecessary barriers blocking access to care and will result in healthier lives for over 16,000 children. “
The Minnesota Department of Human Services began implementing changes to MinnesotaCare July 1 of this year. Children from families with incomes below 200% of federal poverty guidelines ($30,264/year for a household of two and $46,104/year for a household of four) will no longer face barriers to coverage such as the four-month waiting period and access to employer-subsidized health insurance and will be eligible for MinnesotaCare without premiums. In addition, all children will be eligible for MinnesotaCare.
"These changes move us closer to covering every child in Minnesota. Reducing barriers for children under 200% of the federal poverty guidelines creates access to health care coverage for children in low-income working families," said Elaine Cunningham of Children's Defense Fund-Minnesota. "We want to ensure that every child grows up to be as healthy as they can be."
The changes to MinnesotaCare will be implemented over the coming months. The Department of Revenue has already built these changes into the state’s economic forecast starting in 2013, so there will be very little change in the state’s bottom line as a result of these changes.
While Minnesota has been among national leaders in having a relatively low rate of uninsured, there are still an estimated 415,000 Minnesotans that lack health insurance as of 2011, 71,000 of which are children. Uninsured Minnesotans drive up uncompensated care at hospitals, which has steadily increased in Minnesota over the past decade. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, uncompensated care rose to $311 million in 2010, which was the highest in state history.
“When Minnesotans do not have health insurance they go to the Emergency Room, which is the most expensive form of health care. Those costs are passed on to Minnesotans who have health insurance in the form of higher costs and higher health insurance premiums,” said Thissen. “Covering more kids will help us reduce health care costs for all Minnesotans. This is real progress, showing us that by working together we can continue making Minnesota’s health care system more affordable and accessible to all Minnesotans.”
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