ST. PAUL, Minn.—MNsure, Minnesota’s official health insurance marketplace, assures UCare members that their health plans through MNsure will not change in coverage or cost for plan year 2026.
Medica has announced a definitive agreement to acquire individual and family health plans from UCare, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health plan. This is a change for the individual market, but MNsure assures consumers that their coverage remains unchanged and will not be interrupted.
For consumers who are currently enrolled in a 2025 UCare private plan:
There are no changes to coverage.
They can continue to access care as usual.
As long as they have paid their premiums, current coverage goes through December 31, 2025.
For consumers who have selected a 2026 UCare private plan through MNsure:
IMPORTANT:Premium Alignment is NOT a substitute for making the enhanced ACA tax credits permanent. It does little to help the lowest-income folks who are still better off with Silver plans thanks to robust CSR assistance, and the benefits of it will be mediocre for those over 400% FPL if the enhanced tax credits expire.
Even for those it benefits the most (primarily those who earn between 200 - 400% FPL), it's a complement to the upgraded subsidies, not a replacement for them.
HOWEVER, it's still hugely helpful to those who know how to take advantage of it, and particularly in the states newly implementing it, it should relieve a huge portion of the pain being caused by the enhanced APTC expiring next month.
Last week I noted that six states have launched window shopping for the 2026 ACA Open Enrollment Period (OEP), allowing residents of the following states to plug their household information into their states ACA exchange website to see just how much their net health insurance premiums are going to increase starting January 1st, 2026:
Federal policy shifts drive higher 2026 rates for individual and small group health plans
State actions blunt increases tied to the reconciliation bills and policy direction of the federal government
St. Paul, MN: Health insurers have submitted their proposed increased rates to the Minnesota Department of Commerce for 2026 plans available to Minnesotans who buy individual or small group health insurance through MNsure or directly through insurers. These proposed rates apply to coverage starting Jan. 1, 2026, with open enrollment beginning Nov. 1, 2025.
State Highlights Rising 2026 Health Insurance Rate Proposals
SAINT PAUL, MN: Minnesotans are facing unnecessarily higher health insurance rate hikes, and the blame lies with new Republican-led federal policy changes passed in Washington, says Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Grace Arnold.
“While HR1 has been dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” by Republicans, many in our state will find nothing beautiful in health insurance premium increases they’ll experience for 2026,” Arnold said. “These will be the highest rate hikes since 2017 for individual and group markets.”
Minnesota has around 151,000 residents enrolled in ACA exchange plans, 61% of whom are currently subsidized. I estimate they also have another ~62,000 unsubsidized off-exchange enrollees.
With the pending dire threat to several of these programs (primarily Medicaid & the ACA) from the House Republican Budget Proposal which recently passed, I'm going a step further and am generating pie charts which visualize just how much of every Congressional District's total population is at risk of losing healthcare coverage.
USE THE DROP-DOWN MENU ABOVE TO FIND YOUR STATE & DISTRICT.
For over a decade, State-Based Marketplaces have provided private health coverage to tens of millions of Americans, ensuring their health, well-being, and economic security. The Americans who depend on the Marketplaces include working parents, small business owners, farmers, gig workers, early retirees, and lower and middle-class individuals of all ages, political views, and backgrounds who drive our local economies and make both our rural and urban communities thrive.
The legislation under consideration in the House will severely impact the ability of these millions of Americans to continue to access this coverage and the health and financial security they depend on today. This will make for a sicker, less financially secure American public and strain hospitals and health care providers by increasing uncompensated care.
Record-setting 167,163 Minnesotans Used MNsure to Sign Up for 2025 Health Plans
ST. PAUL, Minn. — MNsure Chief Executive Officer Libby Caulum today announced that over 167,000 Minnesotans signed up for 2025 health plans using Minnesota’s official health insurance marketplace.
At the close of MNsure’s annual open enrollment period just before midnight on January 15, 167,163 residents had successfully signed up for private health insurance plans – a 14 percent increase over last year, which was also a record-setting open enrollment period. Sign-ups include consumers who are new to MNsure as well as current enrollees who selected a plan for 2025.
Over 150k Minnesotans have signed up for health insurance since November 1
ST. PAUL, Minn.—Following last year’s incredible enrollment success, MNsure is pleased to report yet another new record for health insurance sign-ups in Minnesota.
Between November 1 and the first deadline (December 18), 151,098 Minnesotans used MNsure.org to sign up for qualified health plans. This represents a 14% increase in private health plan sign-ups compared to the same time last year.
This is excellent news, however, as happens every year with MNsure, it comes with a big caveat.
