Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom. ••• Those relying on MinnesotaCare, the state's pioneering health insurance program, should closely watch their mailbox this month to see if they're among the thousands of enrollees across the state who need to start paying the program's modest monthly premiums again. MinnesotaCare serves an important niche, providing coverage to those who earn too much to be eligible for traditional medical assistance but not enough to comfortably afford the cost of private health insurance.
About 102,000 people are enrolled. Normally, enrollees who can afford to do so are expected to pay monthly premiums, which currently range from $4 to $28 a month, to help offset the program's cost. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these monthly bills were paused as part of the nation's public health response.
It was a sensible, compassionate move, one that ensured people affected by layoffs or other economic upheaval could continue to access medical care during this public health crisis. But the end of the COVID emergency means a return to normal operations for public health programs. That means monthly premiums are resuming for some, though not all, MinnesotaCare participants — generally, those with incomes 160% or above of the federal poverty level (with some exceptions) .
It's an important public health message, one that merits amplification in these pages .
