FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ST. PAUL, Minn.—Today MNsure announced it is giving Minnesotans more time to enroll in health care coverage during the upcoming open enrollment. In April, the federal government announced in a final rule that it was cutting the open enrollment period (OEP) in half from 12 weeks to 6 weeks. The final rule allowed for state-based exchanges like MNsure to supplement this shortened OEP with a special enrollment period (SEP) to give consumers more time to enroll.

MNsure will supplement the federal OEP that runs from 11/1 through 12/15/17 with a SEP open to all Minnesotans running from 12/16/17 through 1/14/18.

"Shopping for health care coverage is complex, and we heard loud and clear from stakeholders and consumers that Minnesotans needed more time to shop than the federal open enrollment period allowed," said MNsure CEO Allison O’Toole. "The additional four weeks will ensure that Minnesotans will have the necessary time to get help from assisters and find the coverage that is right for them."

The shortened OEP this fall set by the federal government posed a particular and serious challenge to navigators and brokers in part because it overlapped with Medicare open enrollment and MinnesotaCare renewals without providing needed time on the back end to focus on consumers in the individual market. During last open enrollment, more than 70,000 Minnesotans received /help/find-assister/index.jsphelp from a broker or navigator.

This year, 65 percent of enrollees are receiving tax credits averaging more than $7,000 a year per family. In total, Minnesotans are poised to save over $300 million in tax credits in 2017. Of the more than half million Minnesotans who found coverage through MNsure, over 90 percent qualified for tax credits, MinnesotaCare, or Medicaid.

Ninety-six percent of Minnesotans have health coverage—the highest percentage in state history. In plan year 2017, more than 500,000 Minnesotans have found health coverage through MNsure. Minnesotans eligible for Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare can enroll year-round. More information can be found at MNsure.org.