Health insurance varies from state to state with each having their own laws and regulations for healthcare including the state of Minnesota. The laws and regulations that exist in Minnesota govern the availability of health insurance and the eligibility requirements for coverage. These laws affect not only state residents, but employers in the state and the health plans that they are required to offer to their employees.
MinnesotaCare
MinnesotaCare is is a state run healthcare program for residents that do not have access to health insurance that is affordable. This program has specific eligibility requirements that need to be met in order to obtain coverage. An individual must live in Minnesota, have a Social Security Number, be a legal United States resident and unable to obtain health insurance through an employer. Income limits may also apply depending on the size of the family.
Flexible Benefits Health Insurance Law
This law was enacted in 2005 that permits small employers to offer a flexible health benefits plan to their employees. Minnesota has many mandated benefits, including maternity care, preventative well-baby care as well as emergency care. This type of plan does not cover all of the benefits that are "mandated" by other Minnesota health insurance laws.
Other Mandates
Minnesota has many mandates for healthcare that is provided in the state. A "provider mandate" requires non-physician providers, such as a chiropractor or an optometrist, to provide services to individuals with coverage under a valid health plan. A "persons covered" mandate requires that coverage be provided for certain types of people, such as newborns and children with disabilities that have reached adulthood. The state of Minnesota's "persons covered" mandate has requirements that go beyond what is available in federal law.
Group Coverage
A Minnesota law that went into effect on July 1 requires employers to provide an option for employees to purchase individual- or employer-based health coverage. Employees would purchase coverage on a pretax basis. This law was designed to make reduced cost health coverage available to employees of an employer who does not make health coverage available. An employer can opt out of this requirement by filing a form with the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
Premiums Report
In addition to the group coverage law, a law was passed in Minnesota that requires employers to provide each employee with a report of the amount of health premiums paid. This report is to be included on an employee's W-2 form and indicate the amount of pretax dollars spent on health coverage. The first report needs to be included on a W-2 sent beginning in 2010.
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