Medicare plays a key role in providing health and financial security to beneficiaries residing in Minnesota. With more than a million Minnesota beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare, we’ll cover some very important information below about Medicare in Minnesota. We want to help you better understand your options and make the decision-process as seamless as possible once you’re ready to enroll in Medicare or discover different coverage options.
Minnesota Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Insurance and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D)
For more information on how you can save money on your out-of-pocket costs with a Part C, Part D, or Medigap plan, please click the plans below to learn more. Licensed agents can also answer any of your questions and help you find a plan that fits your needs, lifestyle, and budget by clicking here.
Minnesota Medicare Enrollments
Original Medicare Plans (Part A and B)
Medicare Advantage & Other Health Plans
Stand-alone Medicare Part D (Drug Plans)
Total Medicare Beneficiaries in Minnesota:
Who Qualifies for Medicare in Minnesota?
Medicare covers most Minnesota residents who are 65 or older, and it also covers disabled Minnesota residents. In general, Medicare enrollment in Minnesota works the same way as it does in the rest of the country. If you qualify for Original Medicare, also known as Part A and Part B, it will help cover 80% of your health care costs.
When you’re first eligible for Medicare, you have a 7-month Initial Enrollment Period to sign up for Part A and/or Part B. If you’re eligible for Medicare when you turn 65, you can sign up during the 7-month period that:
- Begins 3 months before the month you turn 65
- Includes the month you turn 65
- Ends 3 months after the month you turn 65
In most cases, if you don’t sign up for Part B when you’re first eligible, you’ll have to pay a late enrollment penalty. You’ll be responsible for paying this penalty for as long as you have Part B, and you could have a gap in your health coverage.
Once you reach Medicare eligibility, you can begin choosing additional coverage options to help pay for the remaining 20% of your medical expenses through Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medigap, and/or a Medicare Prescription Drug (Part D) plan.
Local Medicare Health Plan Resources in Minnesota
Minnesota Board on Aging (MBA): MBA works to ensure that older Minnesotans and their families are effectively served by state and local policies and programs, so they can age well and live well. The MBA does this through its three major roles: administrator, advisor, and advocate. Program assistance includes discount pharmaceutical programs, Extra Help benefits for Part D premiums, and other Medicare issues. MN SHIP caseworkers also provide preadmission screening for seniors moving into long-term care and fraud prevention and reporting hotlines. Eligible seniors must meet income and asset limits for some means-tested programs.
Contact: Call 1-800-333-2433 or email mba.dhs@state.mn.usMinnesota Commerce Department provides free information about health insurance, costs of care, and Medicare coverage. Information provided includes up-to-date changes to Medicare legislation, Medicare Advantage plan changes, and available Part D benefits.
Contact: Call 1-800-657-3602 or email consumer.protection@state.mn.us.Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO): MSHO focuses assistance on the 35,000 Minnesotans who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. The program combines separate health programs and support systems into one health care package. It is a voluntary program for people ages 65 or older who are eligible for Medical Assistance (MA) and enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B.
Contact: Call 1-800-366-5411, email DHS.info@state.mn.us, or mail inquiries to MSHO at its office in the Elmer L. Andersen Human Services Building in Saint Paul.HealthFinders Collaborative (HFC) Medication Assistance Program (MAP): HFC is a community health center that provides a comprehensive primary access point to health services for the marginalized families of Rice County. Through primary care, medication assistance, patient education and advocacy, and community-based wellness programming, HFC works across the continuum of wellness to collaborate and engage communities in their own health. HFC believes in the inherent capacity of our patients and communities to support health and wellness.
Contact: Call 507-323-8100; email info@healthfindersmn.org; or applications, inquiries, and written requests for assistance may be mailed to the program’s Faribault office.Land of the Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging is the regional branch of this Minnesota Board on Aging’s senior resource program. Through the AAA, seniors can receive no-cost counseling about their health insurance options, including Medicare, and available prescription drug programs. The AAA also provides SHIP and Senior Medicare Patrol assistance and acts as the local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC).
Contact: Call 1-800-333-2433
The licensed agents that are partnered with Timefor65 can help you compare the availability, benefits, and costs of Medicare plans in your specific region of Minnesota. Our process makes it easier for you to access your Medicare eligibility in Minnesota so that you receive personalized, affordable, and easy-to-use coverage options and solutions. Fill out the form or give us a call at (866) 327‑0148 anytime to get a free quote or to ask any questions.