What You Pay
You may have to pay a monthly premium for MinnesotaCare. The exact amount you pay depends on your family’s income and household size and the most you would have to pay is $28 per family member. Some people don't have to pay a premium, including children, American Indians, and households with income that is below 35% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG). Check MinnesotaCare’s premium table to see what your premium might be.
Generally, if you are 21 years old or older, you pay copayments for services. Copayment amounts depend on the medical service you get. Here are some examples:
- Nothing for preventive care
- $10 for generic prescription drugs and $25 for brand-name drugs
- $28 for nonpreventive office visits
- $100 for an emergency room visit
View the complete list of copayments for different types of health care. For more information about copayment amounts, call the Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) Help Desk at 1-651-431-2670 or 1-800-657-3739.
Note: American Indians in federally recognized tribes do not pay copayments or deductibles.
Geraldine is on MinnesotaCare and each month pays a $28 premium. One hot day in early July, she feels weak and realizes she needs to go to the doctor. The doctor checks her out, says that Geraldine has a stomach flu, and prescribes her a medication that will help her feel better as she recovers.
Geraldine pays a $28 copay for the visit and a $10 copay for the medication. Her total cost for the visit is $38.00.
Compared to Private Insurance
MinnesotaCare’s premium, deductible, and copayments are lower than the premium and copayments required by most private insurance plans. For example, many private insurance plans charge hundreds of dollars each month in premiums, have annual deductibles that require you to pay thousands of dollars before the plan will cover most services and, even after the deductible is paid, many private insurance plans require $50 or higher copayments for services.
Give Feedback