BestHealth InsuranceMinnesotaBest Minnesota Health Insurance (2023 Plans)
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BestHealth InsuranceMinnesotaBest Health Insurance in Minnesota
Best Overall - UCare Minnesota
Best for Low MOOP - Blue Cross Blue Shield
Best Cheap - UCare Minnesota
Best for Young Adults - HealthPartners
Best for HMO - UCare Minnesota
Best for PPO - Blue Cross Blue Shield
Best for EPO - MEDICA
Best Short-Term - UnitedHealthcare
Best Overall for Health Insurance in Minnesota
UCare Minnesota provides the best health insurance in Minnesota, getting a MoneyGeek score of 88 out of 100. This company rates well when it comes to affordability, claims denial and MOOP expenses.
We rated Silver health plans in Minnesota for this category, covering 300 exclusive provider organizations (EPOs), 120 health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and 225 preferred provider organizations (PPOs). These numbers are for all companies, not just UCare Minnesota, as is also the case in the sections that follow.
pros
Denies the fewest number of claims
Lowest average out-of-pocket expenses in Minnesota
Provides the cheapest health insurance in Minnesota
cons
Limited plan options
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
We’ve selected UCare Minnesota as the best overall health insurance company in Minnesota for multiple reasons. It offers 90 Silver HMO plans and ranks well on monthly costs, MOOP cost and claims denial rate.
The average you may pay for health insurance through this insurer is $369 per month, which is the lowest in this category. The average MOOP cost stands at $7,500 per year, also the lowest when compared to other insurers in the state. UCare Minnesota takes the top spot for claims denial rate as well, which means it denies fewer claims than all other companies.
Plan Recommendations
We recommend these plans from UCare Minnesota:
- UCare M Health Fairview Silver HSA: $288 per month (MOOP of $6,800)
- UCare Silver HSA: $374 per month (MOOP of $6,800)
- UCare M Health Fairview Silver: $296 per month (MOOP of $8,200)
Best Health Insurance in Minnesota for Low Out-of-Pocket Costs
Blue Cross Blue Shield is the best provider of health insurance with low MOOP costs in Minnesota, and it gets a MoneyGeek score of 70 out of 100. This company fares better than the others when it comes to monthly and MOOP costs.
We have analyzed Gold plans for this segment, which include 95 EPOs, 110 HMOs and 215 PPOs.
pros
Has the best MOOP cost score
Offers the most affordable health insurance in this segment
Many plan types
cons
Has the worst claims denial score in the category
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Blue Cross Blue Shield provides 125 Gold plans, and all are PPOs, making them ideal for people who’re looking for wide networks. If you choose to go with this insurance company, expect to pay an average of $412 per month, which is the cheapest in this segment. Its average MOOP cost stands at $6,524, which is also the lowest.
One drawback is the company’s poor claims denial score, which is the lowest in this segment. This indicates that it denies more claims than others.
Plan Recommendations
We recommend considering the following plans from Blue Cross Blue Shield:
- Blue Plus Minnesota Value HSA Gold $3500 Plan 407: $379 per month (MOOP of $3,500)
- Blue Plus Metro MN Gold $1300 Plan 455: $367 per month (MOOP of $7,700)
- Blue Plus Minnesota Value Gold $1300 Plan 402: $394 per month (MOOP of $7,700)
Best Cheap Health Insurance in Minnesota
UCare Minnesota offers the best affordable health insurance in Minnesota, with a MoneyGeek score of 94 out of 100. It charges an average of $369 per month. We determined the winner for this segment after analyzing plans based on monthly premium costs. If you’re looking for low premiums, prepare to spend more in the form of out-of-pocket expenses.
We analyzed Silver plans from different insurers in Minnesota for this segment, which includes 300 EPOs, 120 HMOs and 225 PPOs.
If you're focused soley on cost, MoneyGeek also determined the cheapest health insurance in Minnesota.
pros
Offers the most affordable Silver plans in Minnesota
Has the best MOOP score
Has the lowest claims denial rate
cons
Limited plans available
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
We selected UCare Minnesota as the best cheap health insurance provider in Minnesota because of its affordability and claims management. A Silver plan from this insurer could cost an average of $369 per month, which is the cheapest for this segment. The maximum out-of-pocket expense you might have to incur per year limits to an average of $7,500, also the lowest for this segment.
UCare Minnesota offers 90 Silver plans, and all are from the HMO bracket. This insurer tops the rankings when it comes to claims denial rates, which means there’s a good chance your claim will go through without any problem.
Plan Recommendations
We recommend evaluating the following plans from UCare Minnesota:
- UCare M Health Fairview Silver HSA: $288 per month (MOOP of $6,800)
- UCare M Health Fairview Silver: $296 per month (MOOP of $8,200)
- UCare Silver HSA: $374 per month (MOOP of $6,800)
Best Health Insurance for Young Adults in Minnesota
HealthPartners provides the best health insurance for young adults in Minnesota, getting a MoneyGeek score of 83 out of 100. We evaluated insurers that offer Bronze or Catastrophic plans. While these plans come with lower premiums, they have higher out-of-pocket expenses. In addition, only people under 30 years of age may purchase Catastrophic plans.
To find the best plans for this segment, we have rated 370 Bronze EPOs, 160 Bronze HMOs, 215 Bronze PPOs, 38 Catastrophic EPOs and 20 Catastrophic HMOs.
pros
Does not deny many claims
Lowest out-of-pocket expenses in this category
Offers many plan types
cons
Not the cheapest option
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
HealthPartners is the winner of this segment mainly because of its MOOP cost and the types of plans it offers. It also has a decent denial rate and costs in spite of not being the cheapest option. If you select this insurer, you’ll pay an average of $265 per month, making it the third most affordable in this segment. Its average MOOP cost stands at $8,200, which is the lowest for this segment.
This insurer provides 90 Bronze plans for residents of Minnesota, all from the PPO bracket. It does not provide any Catastrophic plans.
HealthPartners has a fairly low claims denial rate, which is good because it indicates that the company approves a majority of the claims filed by its customers.
Plan Recommendations
We advise reviewing the following plans from HealthPartners:
- Select $7,300 HSA Bronze: $186 per month for 18-year-olds and $214 per month for 26-year-olds (MOOP of $7,300)
- Peak $7,300 HSA Bronze: $206 per month for 18-year-olds and $237 per month for 26-year-olds (MOOP of $7,300)
- Apex $7,300 HSA Bronze: $235 per month for 18-year-olds and $271 per month for 26-year-olds (MOOP of $7,300)
Best Health Insurance by Plan Type in Minnesota
The different types of plans that health insurance companies provide vary in terms of costs, coverage, benefits and network options. After scrutinizing Minnesota’s insurers, we have selected Medica as the company that provides the best EPO plans, UCare Minnesota as the one that offers the best HMO plans and Blue Cross Blue Shield as the best for PPO plans.
Our analysis for this segment limits to Silver plans, which offer a good balance between premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. In doing so, we looked at 300 EPOs, 120 HMOs and 225 PPOs.
Best for HMO: UCare Minnesota
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
We’ve selected UCare Minnesota as the best HMO provider in the state. If you get an HMO policy from this insurer, you’ll pay an average of $369 per month. Your maximum out-of-pocket expense would be around $7,500 per year. Its claims denial rate is the lowest too, which means it denies the fewest number of claims.
HMO plans are more affordable than other types of plans. They might work well for you if you have easy access to in-network providers. You need to remain within your network to avail of services unless it’s an emergency. Seeing a specialist requires getting a referral first.
Plan Recommendations
We suggest reviewing the following plans:
- UCare M Health Fairview Silver HSA: $288 per month (MOOP of $6,800)
- UCare Silver HSA: $374 per month (MOOP of $6,800)
Best for PPO: Blue Cross Blue Shield
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Blue Cross Blue Shield is the best PPO provider in Minnesota. It lets you choose from 90 Silver plans in this segment. The average you might pay through this company is $378 per month, and the average MOOP cost stands at $7,833. One possible drawback is the company’s poor claims denial rate, which implies that it denies a significant number of claims.
While PPO plans typically cost more than HMO plans, they offer wider networks and increased flexibility. You might be able to consult a specialist without needing to get a referral first.
Plan Recommendations
We recommend the following plans:
- Blue Plus Metro MN HSA Silver $3000 Plan 453: $333 per month (MOOP of $7,250)
- Blue Plus Minnesota Value HSA Silver $3000 Plan 401: $357 per month (MOOP of $7,250)
Best for EPO: Medica
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Medica, with its 300 Silver EPO plans for residents of Minnesota, is the best EPO provider in the state. If you select this insurance company, you’ll pay an average of $420 per month, and the average MOOP cost stands at $8,241. Its claim denial rate indicates that it denies close to 13% of all claims, which might be cause for concern.
If you get an EPO plan, you need to stick to your network other than in emergencies. However, seeing a specialist does not always require a referral.
Plan Recommendations
- North Memorial Acclaim by Medica Silver HSA: $329 per month (MOOP of $7,150)
- Bold by M Health Fairview and Medica Silver HSA: $342 per month (MOOP of $7,150)
Best Short-Term Health Insurance in Minnesota
We have selected UnitedHealthcare as the best short-term health insurance provider in Minnesota, giving it a score of 85 out of 100. Getting short-term health insurance in Minnesota or elsewhere is not ideal if you’re looking for a permanent solution because these plans do not fall under the coverage of the Affordable Care Act that requires insurers to cover essential health benefits.
UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is the most affordable short-term health insurance provider in Minnesota. Its average MOOP cost stands at $11,321. This company provides dental, vision and supplemental insurance. It also lets you choose from multiple term lengths, plan types, co-insurance options and deductibles.
Short-term plans from UnitedHealthcare cover urgent care visits and visits to doctors’ offices. Depending on the plan you select, you may also receive cover for hospitalization, limited preventive care and generic prescriptions.
How to Find the Best Health Insurance for You in Minnesota
Getting health insurance that’s best for you depends on your existing health care requirements, how much you’re willing to pay each month and the additional cost you may incur when you receive care. For example, if you pay a higher premium, you may look forward to lower out-of-pocket expenses, and the reverse holds true as well.
Understand when a health insurance plan will cover you
While HMO plans are more affordable than other plan types, they provide in-network coverage, which means you need to stick to your provider’s network. EPOs have the same drawback. PPOs, while more expensive, have wider networks. In Minnesota, you get to choose from 803 EPOs, 410 HMOs and 655 PPOs.
Weigh the cost of premiums vs. the cost of care
High out-of-pocket costs typically accompany plans with the lowest monthly premiums. With UCare Minnesota, the best overall insurance provider in the state, you pay an average of $369 per month, and the average MOOP cost is $7,500. On the other hand, Blue Cross Blue Shield's Blue Plus Minnesota Value HSA Gold $3500 Plan 407 costs a bit more per month at $379 but has a significantly lower MOOP of $3,500.
Consider Minnesota Medicare or Medicaid if You’re Eligible
If you are 65 or older or you have a qualifying disability or illness, you may qualify for Medicare. You get to choose from multiple policies, and costs vary accordingly. When compared to getting private health insurance, this is usually a more affordable option.
Medicare includes three parts that cover specific areas:
- Part A: Provides cover for inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing services, hospice care and home health care.
- Part B: Provides cover for all necessary and reasonable health care services like outpatient care, X-ray/lab services, medical supplies, ambulance services and some medical equipment.
- Part D: This offers coverage for prescription drugs and vaccines.
You also get to choose from Part C (Medicare Advantage) plans, Medicare Cost plans and Medicare Supplement policies.
Medicaid is also a government-run program, and it is free of cost. Minnesota qualifies as a Medicaid expansion state, making income the sole qualifying criterion. People whose income falls below the Federal Poverty Level by 138% may consider looking at what Medicaid has to offer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Health Insurance in Minnesota
People who need health insurance tend to have questions about costs and availability. Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
