The MinnesotaCare Public Option would make it possible for more Minnesotans to get affordable health insurance coverage through MinnesotaCare, the state’s public health insurance program, on a sliding-scale basis.

Many Minnesotans struggle to afford health insurance coverage. On the individual market, deductibles for a family can range between $7,000 and $20,000 per year, in addition to costly monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs. Other Minnesotans are forced to reduce their wages to maintain health insurance coverage through MinnesotaCare, where eligibility is currently capped at 200% of the federal poverty guideline, about $60,000 per year for a family of four. The MinnesotaCare Public Option would provide a public health insurance option to more people, including those who earn too much to qualify for MinnesotaCare.

Minnesotans eligible for health insurance on the individual and small-group market could buy in to MinnesotaCare, including small business owners, freelancers, artists, farmers, care workers, young people aging off their parents’ insurance, Minnesotans without documentation, and older Minnesotans who do not yet qualify for Medicare.

The premiums for the MinnesotaCare Public Option will vary based on income. State agencies will establish premiums to ensure affordability and prevent sudden increases in cost. Unlike other insurance plans, MinnesotaCare does not differentiate premiums based on age or geography. People who are eligible for MinnesotaCare under the current income limit (200% of the federal poverty guideline) will continue to pay the same premiums.

The MinnesotaCare Public Option will be funded through federal and state dollars, individual premiums, and cost-sharing. The federal government heavily subsidizes the individual insurance market, and this proposal would leverage those dollars toward a public option that provides better coverage at a lower cost to individuals.

You can make your voice heard by contacting your state legislators and urging them to support the MinnesotaCare Public Option (HF96/SF49). Let them know why this issue is important to you and why you believe everyone in Minnesota deserves access to an affordable, public health insurance option.