Minnesota Initiative To Enroll Uninsured Residents

The Minnesota Council of Health Plans is launching a $438,000 outreach initiative to identify and enroll residents who are eligible for state programs including MinnesotaCare, Prepaid Medical Assistance and General Assistance Medical Care. The initiative includes grants to fund outreach work in 34 counties. It also provides a web-based screening, application and case management tool.

The Minnesota Department of Health estimates that more than 60 percent of uninsured Minnesotans including more than 78 percent of uninsured children qualify for current programs. In addition, more than 40,000 Minnesotans have dropped coverage in the state's managed care programs since enrollment peaked in May 2005. It is believed many of these residents continue to qualify for coverage.

"This initiative brings us one step closer to our goal of ensuring that every Minnesotan has health care coverage," said Julie Brunner, executive director of the Minnesota Council of Health Plans.