Obamacare cut Minnesota's uninsured rate by 40 percent

The uninsured rate in Minnesota has fallen by more than 40 percent since the Affordable Care Act's coverage expansion started, a new report from the State Health Access Data Assistance Center shows.

The analysis appears to be the first assessment of how a state's uninsured rate has changed since the insurance expansion began in October. It shows that, between September 2013 and May 2014, the number of uninsured Minnesotans fell from 445,000 to about 264,500.

Most of the increase in coverage was through public programs, rather than people gaining private insurance through the exchange. Enrollment in two of Minnesota's largest public coverage programs, Medical Assistance (the state Medicaid program) and MinnesotaCare (a subsidy program for low-income residents), grew by 155,000 during the open enrollment period.

Coverage in the private individual market, meanwhile, only grew slower, with 36,000 gaining coverage both through the state exchange, MNSure, and outside of it.

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/11/5800742/obamacare-cut-minnesotas-uninsured-rate-by-40-percent

Early Impacts of the Affordable Care Act on Health Insurance Coverage in Minnesota
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http://www.shadac.org/MinnesotaCoverageReport

Between September 30, 2013 and May 1, 2014, the number of uninsured Minnesotans fell by 180,500, a reduction of 40.6 percent. The number of uninsured in Minnesota fell from 445,000 (8.2 percent of the population) to about 264,500 (4.9 percent of the population).

This increase in health insurance coverage was primarily driven by an increase in the number of Minnesotans enrolled in state health insurance programs, Medical Assistance (Minnesota’s Medicaid program) and MinnesotaCare. Enrollment increased by over 155,000 for these two programs combined.

Coverage in the private health insurance market also increased. The total number of Minnesotans with private group coverage (primarily employersponsored coverage) was relatively stable with a decline of about 6,000 (a 0.2 percent change); growth in self-insured plans was balanced by a decline in fully-insured coverage. The nongroup market grew by almost 36,000 and included gains both inside and outside of MNsure.

Our findings on the change in the number of uninsured are consistent with national reports of early ACA impact, and with research on the impacts of Massachusetts reforms implemented in 2007 which are quite similar to the access expansion provisions included in the ACA. Further research and analysis are needed to answer questions such as what are the characteristics of Minnesotans who gained or lost coverage from different sources, how many Minnesotans who purchased coverage through MNsure were previously uninsured, and what are the characteristics of the remaining uninsured population in Minnesota.