Family Tree Clinic

MNSure and You

Navigating the Minnesota Health Insurance Marketplace

 

Family Tree is happy to assist patients and community members with trans and gender expansive focused MNsure Navigation. Please read through this FAQ before inquiring about an appointment. If you still need help, contact our certified MNsure Navigator at awelch@familytreeclinic.org or 612-454-0738 to set up an appointment or sign up directly here. 

Please note that Family Tree’s MNsure Navigation services are limited. Scroll down to “How to Schedule a MNsure Appointment” for referrals to more trusted MNsure Navigators.

What is MNsure?

MNsure is Minnesota’s health insurance marketplace. MNsure is where Minnesotans can apply for different types of health insurance with financial help through one single application.

MNsure Basic Facts​

  • Medical Assistance (also called MA or Medicaid): Low cost health insurance program for people with low incomes. People on MA do not pay monthly premiums. 
  • MinnesotaCare: Low cost health insurance for people who are above the MA income limit but who do not have access to affordable employer-sponsored health insurance. Some people on MinnesotaCare may have to pay a monthly premium.

 “Marketplace plans (also called “qualified health plans” or “private plans”):

Health insurance for people who don’t qualify for MA or MinnesotaCare, usually due to income. People on marketplace plans have to pay a monthly premium. You may be able to get financial help through tax credits to lower the cost of marketplace plans if you are not offered affordable health insurance through your employer (such as if you are self-employed).

You can find the income limits for MA, MinnesotaCare, and tax credits for marketplace plans through MNsure here.

MA and MinnesotaCare: You can apply and enroll at any time of the year. 

Marketplace plans: Most people can only enroll during Open Enrollment (typically in November and December) or during a special enrollment period within 60 days of a qualifying life event like losing other coverage or moving to Minnesota. Members of a federally recognized American Indian tribe can enroll year-round.

MA, MinnesotaCare, and marketplace plans through MNsure are not allowed to exclude coverage for medically necessary gender affirming health care services. In general, hormone care is covered for minors and adults. There are in-network trans affirming providers for every plan. MA and MinnesotaCare may also cover gender affirming surgeries, including top surgeries, bottom surgeries, and hair removal. 

Because what is considered “medically necessary” can vary by insurance company, individual plans may vary or require additional paperwork for coverage for certain medications or services. Contact your insurance company if you need help navigating your specific plan.

Insurance company gender care contact information:

Maybe, but not always. If your income is low enough for MA, it doesn’t matter if you are offered or enrolled in other insurance. However, having access to affordable and quality employer-sponsored insurance may be a barrier to getting MinnesotaCare or financial help with marketplace plans. Use this online tool to determine if the insurance offered to you by your employer or your family member’s employer is considered affordable and quality. If you don’t know how to answer the questions, bring this form to the employer and ask them to fill it out for you.

Yes! Immigration status does not affect your eligibility for MinnesotaCare and is open to people who are undocumented. Immigration status may affect your eligibility for Medical Assistance or marketplace plans with financial help. If you have questions or concerns about your eligibility due to your immigration status, we recommend reaching out to a certified MNsure Navigator for help.

Some community clinics like Family Tree have flexible billing practices and offer services at a reduced price for those without insurance. See this list of local community clinics. You can also use coupon programs like GoodRX to reduce the prices of your prescription medications at your pharmacy.

Applying and choosing a plan

Most people can apply for MA, MinnesotaCare, and marketplace plans online through MNsure.org. Some people may need to apply on paper, including individuals with DACA status, children in foster care, some people who have Medicare, and/or people who receive SSI. can apply for different types of health insurance with financial help through one single application.

First, check if you have an online account through MNsure.org. Do not create a new account if you already have one. Instead, follow the instructions to recover your old username and/or password if needed. This may include calling the MNsure Contact Center at the number provided if the online self-service doesn’t work. Once you log in, you can submit a new application online.

If you previously applied on paper and have never had an online account, call the program that you were last enrolled in to close out any old cases before applying again on paper or online.

You must use your legal name on the application itself. However, if/when you call an agency for help, you can tell the representative that you prefer to be called by a different name over the phone. Gender is self-selected on the application and is not used for identify verification purposes. Insurance companies and clinics have work-arounds if you encounter any billing issues with your coverage due to your gender marker on file.

MA: Submit your documents to your county or tribal agency. You may have to fax, mail, or drop-off your documents in-person. Some counties have online options, such as InfoKeep in Hennepin County (keep in mind that InfoKeep only works if your coverage is active). Local libraries are a great resource for help faxing, or you can work with a certified MNsure Navigator and they can submit documents for you.

MinnesotaCare: Submit your documents to DHS Health Care Consumer Support. You can upload them online or fax, mail, or drop-off your documents in-person. 

Marketplace plans: You can enroll in a plan and/or submit any additional documents through your online MNsure account. Contact the MNsure Contact Center or get online help if you need assistance.

We recommend writing your case number on every page of the additional documents you submit.

If you are eligible for MA or MinnesotaCare, visit this DHS page to find a list of health plans available in your county, insurance company contact information, and each plan’s provider network and drug list. See “Will health plans through MNsure cover gender affirming care?” for more information on gender care coverage. See also this Managed Care Enrollment Guide.


If you are eligible for marketplace plans, visit this How to Choose the Right Plan page and/or contact a MNsure certified Broker. Navigators cannot recommend marketplace plans, but Brokers can.

Technical issues

First, make sure you don’t already have a MNsure account. This could be the case if you get a “M001” or “M005” error. Call the MNsure Contact Center for help figuring out if you have an online account.

You may get an “M002” error if you have recently changed your legal name and/or address. In this case, try using an old legal name and/or address for the account registration process. Once you get to the actual application, you will be able to apply with your current legal name and/or address.

Sometimes, the online identity verification system just doesn’t work, especially for young people and/or people that just moved to Minnesota. If you keep encountering an error after trying the above steps, fill out this MNsure Account Request Form with a copy of your ID(s) and MNsure will manually create your account and send you a username and temporary password within a few business days.

If the website does not allow you to submit a new application, this may mean an old case of yours is still “open” (even if you don’t have active coverage) and you may need to call to have it closed before you can reapply. If you are not sure which program you were last enrolled in or found eligible for, call any of these agencies for help.

If you had a marketplace plan, contact the MNsure Contact Center

We recommend calling in the morning if possible, and being persistent. Have an activity on hand to distract yourself, such as a book or an art project. Calling is the most accurate way to solve problems related to your case. Once you get through to someone, they should be able to help you answer any questions you may have. You can also reach out to a certified MNsure Navigator for help communicating with your agency.

First, check your mailbox and your online account under “Notifications” to see if you missed any notices. If it has been more than 2-3 weeks since you submitted your materials without hearing back and/or if you received a notice you do not understand, we recommend calling the program that you think you are eligible for help. If you are not sure which program to call, check who last sent you mail. Or, call any of these agencies for help. Program staff are there to help you troubleshoot and connect you to the right people.

If you may be eligible for a marketplace plan, contact the MNsure Contact Center

Renewing, reporting changes, and/or switching your plan

Most people on MA and MinnesotaCare will be asked to complete a renewal form every year to keep coverage. Look up your renewal month and update your contact information if it has changed to ensure you are getting updates about your renewal. You should receive a renewal form and instructions in the mail when it is time to renew (you may also be able to find notices posted to your online MNsure account under “Notifications”).

MA: Visit this DHS page for renewal instructions. You can submit your renewal directly to your county or tribal agency online or by fax, mail, or in person drop off. If you are in Hennepin County and your coverage is still active, you can submit your renewal forms and proofs online through InfoKeep.

MinnesotaCare: Visit this MinnesotaCare FAQ for renewal instructions. You can submit your renewal to MinnesotaCare online or fax, mail, or drop it off in-person.

After you submit your renewal, keep an eye out for a notice that your renewal was approved or if you need to submit additional documents to keep your coverage, such as proof of income (commonly in the form of pay stubs or tax returns). To avoid delays in processing, if you are making any income, we recommend submitting proof of income from the last 30 days along with your initial renewal. Write your case number on every page of your renewal form and attached documents before submitting.

You can submit your renewal form and proofs for MA and MinnesotaCare up to four months late. After that, you may need to reapply. You can reapply at any time.

MA: Report changes to your county or tribal agency within 10 days of the change

MinnesotaCare: Report changes to DHS Health Care Consumer Support within 30 days of the change

Marketplace plans: Report changes to the MNsure Contact Center within 30 days of the change

Yes. If you have MA or MinnesotaCare, you can change your health plan any time during your first year of coverage, and once a year after that (typically in November) unless you experience a special circumstance.

If you have a marketplace plan, you can change your health plan during Open Enrollment (typically in November and December) or if you experience a Qualifying Life Event.

To change your plan:

If you have a marketplace plan, contact the MNsure Contact Center

How to schedule a MNsure appointment

Contact our certified MNsure Navigator at awelch@familytreeclinic.org or 612-454-0738 to set up an appointment or sign up directly here. Please note that Family Tree’s MNsure Navigation services are limited. See the next question for referrals to more trusted MNsure Navigators.

We recommend the following organizations for MNsure help:

You can also search the full MNsure Assister Directory to find all certified Navigators and Brokers in your area.