Project Care connects Minnesotans to health coverage
Now's the time. Watch your mail for the blue dot!
That blue dot on envelopes indicates Medical Assistance (MA) and MinnesotaCare enrollment forms are inside.
MNSure Open Enrollment is also here, Nov. 1 - Jan. 15. This window is for those who meet income guidelines to get a private health plan AND a subsidy to reduce their monthly premium.
We, at Project Care, a community health inititaive of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, stationed in our St. Cloud office, are ready to help. We help low-income Minnesotans find affordable health coverage. Our Project Care Navigators are standing by to lend free one-one-one assistance at 320-253.0121.
Once we help clients find coverage, we help them to maintain it without interruption, as they continue to qualify. The project is funded by grants from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation and MNsure.
Our team is comprised of certified navigators who provide multilingual assistance in English, Somali, Spanish, Hmong and Vietnamese and other languages needed. We help community members find and enroll in the health insurance program that is best for them and their family members including Medical Assistance, Minnesota Care and private plans with tax credits to help lower the cost of monthly premiums.
We can also help with enrollment in Minnesota’s Insulin Affordability Program, which does have income considerations.
Everyone is eligible for help, regardless of income, age, or location. Project Care works with partners across the region to make connecting with a Navigator easier.
Securing medical treatment and health insurance for long-haul trucker
Darryl (not his real name) worked as an independent long-haul truck driver his whole life. As an independent contractor, he did not have health insurance provided by an employer and had never been able to afford insurance on the individual market. When he was diagnosed with cataracts, he had no idea how he could afford the necessary surgery that would allow him to keep the job he loved. Sure enough, Darryl's commercial driver's license was soon suspended because he failed the eye test.
Darryl called Legal Aid and met with one of our Navigators, who explained that since he was not currently able to work, he should qualify for Medical Assistance. Darryl’s application was quickly approved, and he had the sight-saving surgeries that allowed him to resume work. He continued to work with the Navigator to transition to MinnesotaCare with a monthly premium he could afford. He left confident that, with insurance, he would be able to keep his job and handle any future medical issues that might arise.
Project Care assisted 4,237 individuals like Darryl during fiscal year 2020, which ended on June 30, 2020. Of these, Navigators submitted applications or annual renewals for 1,762 people. The estimated dollar value per family unit for this benefit is $9 million across all families and individuals. Navigators helped others in submitting required verification documents, responding to continuing eligibility notices, and reporting changes impacting their eligibility. They met with individuals at 16 separate locations across a 12-county region in Central Minnesota. They also provided information and education on healthcare coverage to 2,308 residents through 59 outreach events
Resources
Facebook Live informational series
Health care topics presented in English, Somali, and Spanish
Follow us on Facebook and find past Because Your Health Matters FB Live events at lawhelpmn.org
Minnesota’s Insulin Safety Net Program: MNinsulin enrollment information