Minnesota extends insurance coverage for thousands dropped

admin//December 31, 2015

The state of Minnesota is extending coverage into the new year for about 64,000 people who were told they would be dropped from public health insurance, mainly for failing to submit necessary paperwork.

The state Department of Human Services informed lawmakers earlier this week that about 40,000 people in the state’s MinnesotaCare program and another 24,000 people in Medical Assistance were being dropped from coverage.

But enrollees and health insurance navigators complained that some were being cut off after submitting required paperwork, while others couldn’t get calls answered by the department.

The Star Tribune reports that Assistant Human Services Commissioner Nathan Moracco said Thursday that in response to those concerns, cases that were closed will be reopened for January coverage. The coverage will be effective starting Jan. 1, 2016.