About two-thirds of people who signed up for coverage on Minnesota’s health insurance exchange won’t get financial assistance, but are still finding better coverage options there. And the director of the exchange comes under fire for a two-week vacation while problems with the website persisted.
Minnesota Public Radio: Already Covered, Many Still Seek – And Find – Better Options On MNsure
The main reason for establishing health insurance exchanges such as MNsure is to provide coverage to people who lack insurance and need assistance paying for it. But initial numbers from the state’s new online marketplace suggest that the site is attracting attention from people outside its target audience. Nearly two thirds of the nearly 49,000 people who have completed insurance applications through MNsure will not receive financial assistance. That’s because they don’t qualify for federal subsidies or didn’t bother to find out if they qualify for assistance (Richert, 12/12).