Frequently Asked Questions about Renewing Coverage
You can renew or change private health coverage during the annual open enrollment period.
If you have public program coverage through Medical Assistance (MA) or MinnesotaCare, see the Department of Human Services' website for information about renewing your coverage.
Every year, insurance companies can decide what plans they will offer on MNsure. From year to year, those plans may change. Under federal and state law, insurance companies are required to renew you into the same plan you had last year. However, the price for that plan may have gone up and insurance companies are not required to offer you any financial help if the plan is no longer available through MNsure.
Plan choices and premium amounts change each year. Your premium amount (including tax credits and other financial help) may change on January 1 even if you stay in the same plan. It is best to review next year's plans and your updated eligibility for financial help, and then sign up for the plan that is right for you and your family by the end of the open enrollment period.
If your current plan will no longer be available through MNsure, your insurance company will inform you of this change. You can also use the plan crosswalk to see if your current plan is available next year.
The easiest way to make sure you are getting the best deal is to come back to MNsure.org at the start of open enrollment to shop and compare plans. If your plan is not available and you do not sign in to your account and select a plan by the end of open enrollment, your coverage through MNsure will end.
If you enroll in a health insurance plan through MNsure with a different health insurance company, MNsure will alert your old insurance company of your decision. However, it would be in your best interest to contact your previous year's insurance company right away about your decision, especially if you are signed up for automatic debit payments with that company. Please work with your insurance company directly to understand the timing of when your automatic debit payment will be withdrawn and how much advance notice they require to stop that from occurring if you decide to change companies. You should assume your insurance company will process your automatic debit payment on your current schedule.
You can only change plans or make changes to your current plan outside open enrollment if you qualify for a special enrollment period. Amounts you may pay toward deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums in one plan will not be applied toward a different plan if you change plans during a special enrollment period.
Please note: you cannot change plans or receive adjustments to tax credits retroactively.
Report changes within 30 days of the change event. Tell us about all changes including changes to:
Where you live or want information mailed
Who lives with you
Who you list as a dependent on your income taxes
Income
Starting or stopping other health insurance
Incarceration status
Minnesota residency
Citizenship or immigration status
If you are not sure if you should report a change, call the MNsure Contact Center and explain what is happening. If you do not tell us you moved and returned mail has no forwarding address, your coverage may end. You cannot use your annual renewal notice to report changes by mail.
You can view your updated eligibility for next year, including any updated tax credit amounts and cost-sharing reductions, on the eligibility renewal notice that you receive from MNsure.
The answer to that depends on several things, including:
The plan you choose
Where you live
Your household income
Your eligibility for financial help (advanced premium tax credit or cost-sharing reductions) is updated annually by MNsure. Your eligibility is based on the most recent information that you reported to MNsure.
In most cases, if your renewal qualifies you for a tax credit for next year you will be automatically re-enrolled in the same plan offered through MNsure and the updated amount of tax credit will be applied to your new premium amount. If your renewal qualifies you for cost-sharing reductions for next year and you are either automatically re-enrolled in the same silver plan or you select a new silver plan offered through MNsure for the coming year, you will continue to receive cost-sharing reductions.
If you are an American Indian receiving cost-sharing reductions you do not need to be enrolled in a silver plan to continue to receive the same cost-sharing reductions in your plan.
If an advanced premium tax credit was applied to your coverage in a previous year and you have not filed a tax return for that year, you will no longer be eligible for advanced premium tax credit or cost-sharing reductions in the coming year. You should file a tax return as soon as possible.
If you did not provide consent for MNsure to use your federal tax information to renew coverage for the coming year, you will no longer be eligible for financial help.
No. The best way to make sure you are getting the best deal for you and your family is to visit MNsure.org during the annual open enrollment period to shop and compare plans and enroll in a plan through MNsure.
Your eligibility for a tax credit or cost-sharing reductions is based on the most recent information that you reported to MNsure. Be sure to report changes and submit any requested proof as soon as possible. If you submit information that is not truthful or accurate, your private health plan coverage may be terminated and you may have to repay any payments that you are not entitled to, including advanced premium tax credit payments.
Most applicants will have their eligibility automatically renewed so they will not need to complete a new application. To ensure that you continue to receive any financial help for which you may be eligible, be sure to respond promptly to any MNsure request for additional information.
If you were notified by MNsure that you need to complete an application, log in to your MNsure account and update your eligibility by completing an application for insurance WITH financial help. (If you do not want to see if you are eligible for financial help, you can apply for health insurance WITHOUT financial help.)
Sign in to your MNsure account; do not create a new account.
Make sure to select the application WITH financial help to receive any financial help for which you are eligible.
If you received a notice from MNsure advising you to complete a new application, follow the instructions on your notice to complete your enrollment.
After you have finished the application, your eligibility to purchase a plan through MNsure and to receive financial help will be updated for the new year.
Complete each section of the renewal application with all the necessary information.
Make sure you review your answers before moving on to the next page of the application. If you don’t provide complete information, such as forgetting to include all members of your family, or mistakenly enter incorrect information, like your birthdate or Social Security number, the incorrect information may affect your eligibility and could cause a delay in getting health coverage.