FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Jenni Bowring-McDonough
Media Relations Coordinator

ST. PAUL, Minn. - MNsure today announced instructions for Minnesotans who only completed the online Enrollment Attempt form at MNsure.org and did not make any other attempt to enroll in health insurance coverage. Consumers in this category have already begun receiving these instructions from MNsure.

Consumers in this category who are determined eligible to purchase a qualified health plan from a health insurance company must choose their health plan online before 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22. These consumers must also make their first month's premium payment in full by April 30 directly to their insurance company to activate their coverage and avoid penalties as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Consumers who do not meet these enrollment and payment deadlines will not be able to enroll in health insurance coverage inside or outside of MNsure until the next open enrollment period beginning on November 15, 2014, or unless a qualifying life event occurs.

Consumers found eligible for Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare will receive further communication from the Minnesota Department of Human Services or a local county agency. Eligible individuals can enroll in MinnesotaCare or Medical Assistance year-round and do not have to meet the same enrollment and payment deadlines as individuals eligible to enroll in a qualified health plan.

Consumers who are already in the MNsure system as of March 31 because they began the online application process will receive communication from MNsure. There is nothing more they need to do at this time.

Those Minnesotans that experience a problem or have a question while completing the online application can review these helpful enrollment tips, or call the MNsure Contact Center at 1-855-366-7873. The Contact Center is open Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

MNsure has processed more than 36,000 Enrollment Attempt forms and determined 31,854 of the completed forms reflect genuine enrollment attempts. As of today, more than 11,900 of the forms have been audited to determine if the individual exists in the MNsure system.