MinnesotaCare Expanded to Include People with Undocumented Status

November 21, 2024

On November 19, the Minnesota Department of Human Services officially opened MinnesotaCare to people with undocumented status who live in Minnesota. 

Physicians are being asked to spread the word to uninsured patients they serve about this change in eligibility.  

The 2023 Legislature approved the expansion of MinnesotaCare with support from a broad coalition of community, health, labor, and faith organizations. For more information, refer to the FAQs for providers: MinnesotaCare eligibility for undocumented people. 

The Tools for partners webpage has materials that make it easy for you to share messages with your patients. Most materials are translated into Spanish, Somali and Oromo. 

There is no deadline to apply for MinnesotaCare, and no limit on the number of people who enroll. People can apply year-round.  

Relatedly, the MMA Equity in Access & Quality (EAQ) Committee has formally recommended a policy proposal titled, “Insurance Coverage for People with Undocumented Status” to the MMA Board of Trustees (BOT) for adoption. The proposal would direct the MMA to not only protect the recent MinnesotaCare expansion, but to also explore ways to improve coverage options for people with undocumented status who are ineligible for MinnesotaCare due to income limits.  

In 2019, 49% of Minnesotans with undocumented status made too much money to qualify for the program. 

For more information, contact Adrian Uphoff, health policy analyst.