More than 266,000 Minnesotans have no health insurance. Estimates predict that more than half of the uninsured might be eligible for one of Minnesota's public health coverage programs if they only knew to apply. When looking at children, Minnesota has about 64,000 uninsured kids living in the state and nearly 70% of them may be eligible for the public programs.
A growing body of research shows the importance of health care coverage in ensuring healthy outcomes. Those who are insured are healthier and have longer life expectancies than those who are not insured. The uninsured receive less preventive care, are diagnosed at more advanced disease stages, and tend to receive less therapeutic care. For children, being uninsured means they are less likely to receive the proper medical care for common childhood illnesses such as sore throats, earaches, and asthma; they are more likely to have untreated vision problems; and they are 25% more likely to be absent from school.
The goal of the Children's Defense Fund's Covering Kids and Families project is to connect uninsured children to available health coverage programs. This directory was compiled to help uninsured or underinsured families understand what health care options are available to them. The following pages describe Minnesota's public health coverage programs. Families who do not have health insurance are encouraged to investigate the public health care programs because it is likely they may be eligible for one of these programs. For families who do not qualify for public programs, low-cost health care options are listed by county.
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