Minnesotans without health insurance hits all-time low
Photo shows a doctor examining a patient with a stethoscope. (FOX 9)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The uninsured rate in Minnesota has reached an all-time low, according to data from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) released on Wednesday.
The data shows that in 2023, the percentage of Minnesotans without health insurance fell to 3.8%, which is the lowest reported in the 22 years the survey has been used.
Officials note that this means an estimated 11,000 fewer Minnesotans were uninsured in 2023 compared to 2021.
The MDH said that the data comes from the Minnesota Health Access Survey, which is meant to track Minnesotans’ health insurance coverage and healthcare access every two years.
"We are encouraged by Minnesota’s overall uninsurance rate," said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham in a statement. "However, we must keep in mind that these rates are dynamic. The state must remain committed to ensuring that Minnesotans eligible for public coverage have it available to them and that those who are no longer eligible for public coverage have affordable private options. What we are seeing is that insurance and health care costs remain a barrier for many Minnesotans."
The research also shows that lower-income Minnesota residents, Minnesota residents of color and people with group coverage had the largest spike in abstaining from medical care, while uninsured Minnesota residents had the highest rates overall.
More information can be found on the MDH Health Economics Program website.