Elizabeth Stawicki, Minnesota Public Radio

Minnesota, Not Florida, Not Hawaii, Is Healthiest State For Seniors

KFF Health News Original

“Minnesota Nice” might be the key to good health for seniors. America’s Health Rankings Senior Report rated Minnesota the healthiest state in the nation for adults aged 65 and over — beating out Hawaii. And that retiree and snowbird haven, Florida? It came in 28th. What could put Minnesota, which just weathered arguably the harshest winter […]

Minnesota’s MNsure Exchange Weighs What To Do Next

KFF Health News Original

Officials with Minnesota’s troubled online insurance marketplace heard from the authors of a scathing independent report and began weighing the crucial question of what do do next. “Is it irreparably broke?” MNsure‘s chairman of the board Brian Beutner asked during the insurance marketplace’s board meeting on Thursday. Optum, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, prepared the […]

After Exposure, Security Holes Sealed In Minnesota’s Health Exchange

KFF Health News Original

A security flaw has been fixed on MNsure, Minnesota’s health insurance marketplace — one that had left users vulnerable to data interception by hackers. The fix follows an MPR story last week and a meeting Monday between forensic analyst Mark Lanterman and the state’s chief information security officer, Chris Buse. At the meeting, Lanterman explained how he discovered the […]

Minn. Reports 3,700 Enrollments Underway, But A Rocky Road For Consumers

KFF Health News Original

Officials from MNsure, the online health insurance marketplace in Minnesota, provided the first public glimpse into how many Minnesotans have not only created accounts on the new health insurance site, but also committed to choosing a plan and paying for coverage. MNsure officials say about 3,700 visitors to the site are in the enrollment process […]

Farzad Mostashari To Leave Federal Health IT Office

KFF Health News Original

The charismatic head of health information technology at the Department of Health and Human Services will step down this fall.  In an e-mail to staff, Dr. Farzad Mostashari didn’t divulge why he was departing after serving for two years in that position and four years at the agency. “It is difficult for me to announce that […]

Minnesota Hospital Merger Talks Derail

KFF Health News Original

Minneapolis-based Fairview Health Services says it will focus on finding a permanent CEO now that rural health care giant Sanford announced Wednesday that it felt “unwelcome” and was cutting off merger discussions with Fairview. Fairview is one of Minnesota’s largest health systems and owns the University of Minnesota’s main teaching hospital. Sanford runs clinics in […]

Despite Federal Delay, Minn. Vows To Have Small Business Options On New Health Exchange

KFF Health News Original

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Workers at small businesses that buy health insurance on MNSURE — Minnesota’s new online marketplace — will have access to features that will be delayed in many other states. These marketplaces, also called exchanges, will offer health plans for individuals and small businesses, and they are being set up in each […]

Audit Finds Shortcomings In Minn. Verifications Of Income, Other Information

KFF Health News Original

An audit released Tuesday shows Minnesota’s Department of Human Services has not been adequately verifying the eligibility of participants in some of its public assistance programs.  Such verifications are a requirement of state and federal law, and the legislative auditor says his office first alerted the department to some of the problems more than a decade ago. […]

Midnight Drama As Minnesota House Passes Exchange Bill

KFF Health News Original

Landmark health insurance legislation is on its way to the Minnesota Senate after the House approved it shortly after midnight on Friday.  The House passed a conference committee’s proposal to reconcile the differences in House and Senate bills enacting a Minnesota health insurance exchange.  The ever-controversial exchange bill had a bumpy ride in the House, as […]

Minnesota Exchange Bill Moves Forward Without Abortion Restrictions

KFF Health News Original

UPDATE, 7 a.m. March 15: The Minnesota House approved the conference committee bill in a dramatic midnight vote after hours of heated debate. Elizabeth Stawicki’s report on the vote will be posted shortly.  ST. PAUL, MINN. — Abortion restrictions have been cut from a final version of Minnesota’s health insurance exchange bill that will impact how more […]