12/11/2013 10:14:43 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jenni Bowring-McDonough
Media Relations Coordinator
ST. PAUL, Minn.-MNsure's extension of the enrollment deadline to December 23 will help thousands of Minnesotans obtain coverage by January 1, 2014, MNsure announced today. MNsure has also announced extended hours for account creation and application access on its website from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday starting today, and an expansion of Contact Center capacity.
The MNsure Contact Center will be open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staffing at the Contact Center has recently been doubled and additional capacity is being added over the next few days to provide better service to our customers during this busy time. MNsure is also encouraging consumers who need assistance to seek out the help of one of our local community assisters.
To obtain coverage by January 1, consumers should complete four steps:
"We strongly encourage consumers to complete these four steps to have coverage on January 1, 2014," said MNsure's Executive Director, April Todd-Malmlov. "The good news is that more than 40,000 individuals have already completed steps one and two, and just need to return to MNsure.org and complete steps three and four."
The December 23 deadline does not apply to Minnesotans eligible for Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare. Minnesotans determined eligible for Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare through December 30 will get coverage January 1, 2014. Minnesotans already determined eligible for Medical Assistance through MNsure do not need to take any further steps for health insurance coverage to begin January 1, 2014. Minnesotans already determined eligible for MinnesotaCare will get coverage January 1 even if they have not received a premium bill. MinnesotaCare enrollees should pay their premium bill as soon as they get it. Consumers with questions about their Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare coverage can call their caseworkers or the Minnesota Department of Human Services Member Help Desk at 651-431-2670 or 1-800-657-3739.
As a reminder, Minnesotans who are on Medicare are not eligible to participate in MNsure and thus these deadlines do not apply to the Medicare open enrollment period.
Beginning January 1, 2014, all U.S. citizens and legal residents will be required to have health insurance coverage. For those Minnesotans who are uninsured, underinsured or looking for new coverage choices, MNsure is a one-stop health insurance marketplace where individuals, families and small businesses will be able to get quality health coverage at a fair price. MNsure will empower more than 1 million Minnesotans to compare, choose, and get help finding health care coverage. It will facilitate enrollment in public and private health insurance, determine eligibility for premium tax credits and allow Minnesotans to shop and compare between health care coverage options.
Open enrollment through MNsure began October 1, 2013, and runs through March 31, 2014. For more information about MNsure, how it will benefit Minnesota consumers and businesses, and how to provide input visit mnsure.org.
