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This guide lists various programs or agencies that provide health care services or information about services
or insurance in specific situations. The information in this guide is divided by the following topics:
• Senior Information
• Free or Reduced Cost Health Care
• Health Care for Children with Disabilities
• General Insurance Information
• Prescription Drugs
• Small Employer Information
Attention: By selecting most of the links below, you will be leaving the Minnesota Department of Health web site.
Health Plan Information Center
The Health Plan Information Center was operated
by the Minnesota Senior Federation. It offered information to individuals 65 years of age or older
who were interested in finding out about the different types of insurance available to them. The Minnesota Senior Federation ended operations in June 2009. It published "Health Care Choices for Minnesota Seniors," which will now be published by the Minnesota Board on Aging (see below). The Minnesota Senior LinkAge Line does insurance counseling for Minnesota seniors (see below).
Medicare Issues Hotline
1-800-633-4227
This federal government Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services hotline has
information on Medicare insurance sarupplements, claims, general information on
Medicare, and Medicare fraud and abuse.
Minnesota Board on Aging
(651) 431-2500 or 1-800-882-6262
The Minnesota Board on Aging
develops, coordinates, evaluates, and administers federal and state funds for the aging, makes grants to 12 area
agencies on aging and to nonprofit agencies, and serves as an advocate for older persons. The Board partners
with many other groups to provide the web site www.MinnesotaHelp.info
which is a resource for services for seniors, as well as caregivers and persons with disabilities. They now publish the "Health Care Choices for Seniors" booklet previously published by the Minnesota Senior Federation. The Minnesota Senior Federation ended operation in June 2009.
Social Security Administration
1-800-772-1213
Provides public information materials about the Social Security Administration and supplemental security programs, as well as
information on eligibility for Medicare. Free pamphlets on Social Security
disability benefits and supplemental security income are available through this
line.
Senior LinkAge Line®
1-800-333-2433
The Senior LinkAge Line® is a nonprofit
telephone and referral service which is free to seniors and their families.
Seniors unsure of where to call with a health insurance or Medicare-related
question are encouraged to call the Senior LinkAge Line®. Their RX Connect
service helps seniors and others locate lower cost prescription drugs.
Assured Access (formerly Assured Care)
(612) 348-6141
Assured Access is a Hennepin County program available to Hennepin County residents who do
not qualify for other public programs. There are eligibility requirements.
Members receive a discount on bills for health care services provided by certain
clinics. There is no cost to enroll and no monthly premium.
Children's Defense Fund - Minnesota
(651) 227-6121
The Children's Defense Fund - Minnesota has compiled a Minnesota Low-Cost Health Care Directory
to help uninsured or poorly insured families with children understand some of
their health care options.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, metro area
(651) 297-1316
Their booklet "Financial Resources for Hearing Aids" lists organizations to contact for
lower cost or free hearing aids/and or assistive listening devices. There are eligibility requirements.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
is part of the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Duluth-Lutheran Social Services
(218) 726-4767
Available to Duluth residents only. People in need can call Duluth-Lutheran
Social Services and meet with a representative. Help is mostly provided on an emergency basis.
Assistance is not available for past bills.
Mid-Minnesota Family Medicine Center
(320) 240-3157 or 1-800-575-2982
The Mid-Minnesota Family Medicine Center
clinic is located in St. Cloud but offers health services on a sliding fee scale basis to anyone.
Appointments are required and clients must bring proof of income.
Migrant Health Service, Inc.
(218) 236-6502 or 1-800-842-8693
There are seven health centers and two mobile units that offer low-cost health care during the
summer months to farm workers in 30 counties.
Minnesota Department of Health, Refugee Health Program
(651) 201-5414
The Refugee Health Program provides a
directory of "Health Resources Serving Diverse Cultural Communities." The directory lists by counties resources for health and dental services,
mental health, home care, services for battered women and those sexually assaulted, and some social services.
Many of these resources provide services at a lower cost and are available to refugees and others. The counties currently listed are: Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Kandiyohi, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Ramsey, Rice, Scott, Stearns, and Washington. Call
(651) 201-5414 for a printed copy of the directory.
Neighborhood Health Care Network (formerly known as Community Clinic Consortium)
(651) 489-2273 or 1-866-489-4899
The Neighborhood Health Care Network
is an alliance of community clinics in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. Network members provide a wide range
of services including primary/preventive services, prenatal care, reproductive services, and dental care. Check to
see whether the clinic has a sliding fee scale, will work out a fee payment schedule, and whether it accepts public
assistance, MinnesotaCare® and other private insurance plans. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through
Friday.
Portico Healthnet (formerly Metro East Health Program)
(651) 603-5100
Portico Healthnet is for residents
of Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey and Washington counties who don't qualify for other public programs. For $25 to $50 a month
all covered health care services are paid. Hospital, emergency room, and dental are not covered. There may be a waiting
list to join.
Sage Screening Program (formerly the Minnesota Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program) 1-888-643-2584
The Sage Screening Program provides free breast and cervical cancer screening and free or low-cost colposcopies to Minnesota women age 40 and over
who are uninsured or underinsured and who meet income eligibility. Services are provided at participating facilities.
United Way 211 - First Call for Help
Use this number to reach your local First Call for Help: 211 or 1-800-543-7709
Please note that 211 works from many but not all cell phones.
United Way 211,
formerly United Way - First Call for Help, is a community answer line that provides you with information about,
and refers you to, individual and family services. Trained volunteers can give you information on health services,
health issues, counseling, child care, legal help, and more. The phone line is answered 24 hours a day. You can download their database to your computer or to a CD and conduct your own search also.
Lower Cost Dental Services
Minnesota Insurance Help Line
(952) 253-6228 or 1-800-642-6121
The Insurance Help Line provides a list of dental discount plans which you can join for a fee.
As a member of the plan, you receive discounted prices on certain dental services.
Minnesota Dental Association
(651) 646-7454 or 1-800-950-3368
Minneapolis District Dental Society
(651) 631-9845
St. Paul District Dental Society
(651) 697-0831
Contact these organizations to locate lower cost dental care in your area.
Neighborhood Health Care Network
(651) 489-2273 or 1-866-489-4899
Some of the Neighborhood Health Care Network
member clinics provide dental care. Check to see whether the clinic has a sliding fee scale, accepts
public assistance and MinnesotaCare® or other private insurance plans.
University of Minnesota Dental Clinic
(612) 624-8400
Supervised dental work at the
University of Minnesota Dental Clinic is done by students in their last two years of dental school.
For orthodontic work call (612) 625-6444. Supervised orthodontic work is done by residents who have
finished their dentistry schooling and are now specializing in orthodontics.
TEFRA
As a component of Medical Assistance,
TEFRA helps families cover health care costs for their severely disabled children who
would otherwise require institutional-level care. Eligibility is based on the child's income, assets, and level of
disability. Eligibility is not based on the parent's income or assets. Contact your county human service agency for
more information. A list of county agencies can be found in the "Guide to Minnesota's Public Health Care Programs."
Minnesota Children with Special Health Needs
(651) 201-3650 or 1-800-728-5420
The Minnesota
Children with Special Health Needs section of the Minnesota Department of Health
is a referral resource for Minnesota families with children under 21 who have disabling or potentially
disabling conditions or chronic illnesses.
Shriners Hospital for Children - Twin Cities
(612) 596-6100
The Shriners Twin Cities Unit provides care to children with neuromusculoskeletal conditions who
live in Minnesota and some surrounding states and Canadian provinces. The only criterion for admission is
that the child has a treatable orthopedic condition. All care provided at or authorized by the hospital is
provided at no charge to patients, parents, third party payers, or governmental agencies.
Minnesota Department of Commerce
(651) 296-4026 or 1-800-657-3602
The Minnesota Department of Commerce regulates
insurance companies and insurance agents. They do not regulate Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs).
This department answers questions and addresses complaints about the companies it regulates.
Minnesota Department of Health
(651) 201-5100 or 1-800-657-3916
The Managed Care Systems section of the Minnesota Department of Health
regulates Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). This department answers questions and
addresses complaints about the companies it regulates.
www.minnesotahealthinfo.org
This web site provides information on buying health coverage, on comparing the cost and quality of health plans, doctors, hospitals and nursing homes, on assuring quality care, and on a wide variety of other health care related information.
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
1-800-358-9295
The federal
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
publications cover topics such as medical treatment effectiveness, health care
costs and utilization, health care expenditures, health information systems,
health technology assessment, clinical practice guidelines, and funding
opportunities for grants and contracts. Single copies of publications are
available free upon request from the agency.
America's Health Insurance Plans (formerly Health Insurance Association of America)
1-202-778-3200
The America's Health Insurance Plans association publishes a variety of consumer guidebooks on topics such as health insurance,
long-term care, and Medicare supplements.
Health Insurance Counseling Program
1-800-333-2433
The Health Insurance Counseling Program for
seniors provides information, counseling, and public education about health
insurance.
Minnesota Insurance Help Line
(952) 253-6228 or 1-800-642-6121
The
Insurance Help Line provides general information on insurance, insurance companies,
and suggestions on how to go about finding insurance coverage. Phones are answered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,
Monday through Friday.
National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions
(703) 684-1355
The National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions provides information on children's hospitals and what to consider when a child will be hospitalized.
National Association of Insurance Commissioners
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners web site provides information about different types of insurance including health insurance. See "Consumers" for general health insurance information and see "Insure U Get Smart about Insurance" to see information in "Life Situations - Tips and Information." The Association also publishes booklets on insurance including Medigap and long-term care. To request
one free copy of "Choosing a Medigap Policy" and "A Shopper's Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance" call the order line at 816-783-8300 or order on line.
National Health Information Center, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
1-800-336-4797
The
National Health Information Center is a health information referral service which locates organizations as
resources for health professionals and consumers who have health-related
questions. A publication list and the "healthfinder" list of toll-free numbers that provide
health-related information, education, and support is on their web site. Their "healthfinder" web site uses a
database to thousands of online federal health publications. The NHIC is also accessible via e-mail at: info@nhic.org.
RxConnect
1-800-333-2433
RxConnect is a service that helps Minnesota residents find programs that provide free or discounted prescription drugs. Most of these programs have income
and eligibility requirements. Applications are provided. The service is available to all ages and is provided by the Minnesota Board on Aging through the Senior LinkAge Line®.
Minnesota RxConnect
Minnesota RxConnect is the state of Minnesota web site which helps Minnesotans make informed decisions regarding accessing lower cost prescription drugs both locally and from Canada. Minnesota RxPrice Compare allows consumers to compare the local Minnesota prices of 400 drugs. Consumers can link to it from the state of Minnesota web site www.MinnesotaRXConnect.com. Consumers can search for their prescription drug by city, county or zip code. Also from this web site, consumers can compare prescription drug costs if purchased from approved Canadian pharmacies. It lists a step-by-step process to access these prescription drugs and includes first-time customer application forms and a list of available drugs and their prices. Under a category called Legal Information, the site provides potential purchasers with a list of "Things you need to know before purchasing your medication from Canadian pharmacies." The site includes general safety and savings tips when using and purchasing prescription drugs. As of March 1, 2010 the MinnesotaRxConnect site will no longer provide a way to order from Canadian pharmacies as demand for this service has diminished. See their site for additional information.
Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D)
On January 1, 2006, Medicare began offering a drug benefit. Contact the Senior LinkAge Line
at 1-800-333-2433 or Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 (TTY: 1-877-486-2048) for
questions about Medicare Part D. The Minnesota
Board on Aging and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provide updates on this benefit. Certain enrollees are eligible for a partial
or full subsidy to help pay for this drug benefit. This subsidy is sometimes referred to as the "Low Income Subsidy" or "Extra Help."
Patient Assistance Programs
Many pharmaceutical companies provide reduced price or free drugs to eligible people. Two examples of Internet sites to use to look up information about patient assistance programs are
www.rxassist.org
and www.needymeds.com. You can check to see if your prescription drugs are
available at a lower cost and if you are eligible for the programs. On the NeedyMeds web site, click on Generic
Name List, or Brand Name List, or Company List to see if your drug is listed and for information about the specific
prescription assistance programs. Most of the prescription assistance programs have eligibility requirements. Both of these sites also provide other helpful information regarding getting prescription drugs.
Additional prescription drug resources and information are available in the publication "Low Cost
Options for Prescription Drugs" available through the Minnesota Health Information Clearinghouse, Minnesota
Department of Health, (651) 201-5178 or 1-800-657-3793.
A print copy of "Guide to the Small Employer Health Benefit Plan Market"
is available through the Minnesota Health Information Clearinghouse, (651) 201-5178 or 1-800-697-3793. The guide
provides answers to initial questions small employers have about the small employer health plan market. It lists
companies that are licensed to sell health coverage to small employers in Minnesota.
For more information contact the Minnesota Health Information Clearinghouse:
By telephone:
(651) 201-5178 or 1-800-657-3793
TDD: (651) 201-5797
By mail:
Minnesota Department of Health
Minnesota Health Information Clearinghouse
Compliance Monitoring Division
85 East Seventh Place, P.O. Box 64882
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0882
By e-mail:
health.clearinghouse@state.mn.us
By fax:
(651) 201-5179
We are always looking for new information to pass to Minnesota residents.
If you believe your organization belongs in our "Guide to Additional Health Care Resources,"
we'd like to hear from you. Please write or call: Minnesota Health Information Clearinghouse, Minnesota Department
of Health, P.O. Box 64882, St. Paul, MN 55164-0882, (651) 201-5178 or 1-800-657-3793.
Health Plan Options was created by the Minnesota Department of Health in collaboration
with the Minnesota Departments of Commerce and Human Services. The Minnesota Department of Health thanks everyone
who reviewed and provided information for Health Plan Options.
Produced by the Minnesota Health Information Clearinghouse, Revised August 2008. If you require this document in
another format, such as large print, Braille, or cassette tape, call (651) 201-5178 or 1-800-657-3793.
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For questions about this page, please contact the Minnesota Health Information Clearinghouse: health.clearinghouse@state.mn.us
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