Health Care

To help Minnesotans navigate the health care insurance system when problems arise, we have put together a handbook entitled "Managing Your Health Care" which contains an overview of private health coverage and tips on how to assert your rights when it comes to your health care insurance.

Attorney General Ellison Secures $35 Eli Lilly Insulin for Minnesotans

Attorney General Keith Ellison reached a settlement with insulin manufacturer Eli Lilly, which guarantees that Minnesotans will be able to purchase Eli Lilly insulin products for just $35 for the next 5 years. Eli Lilly will also donate free insulin to 15 clinics serving low-income Minnesotans for 5 the next five years.

Click here for more information and find out everything you need to know to obtain a month’s supply of insulin for $35, and for free, in some instances.

Medical Billing

Medical billing can be confusing. The terms used by insurance companies—phrases like “provider allowed amount,” deductible, co-pay, and co-insurance—can be puzzling. Moreover, some patients are billed incorrectly or for services they never received, that were already paid, or that should have been submitted to an insurance company. Others may have difficulty keeping up with large medical bills. Our flyer entitled "Medical Billing Pointers," has tips on how to ensure your medical bill is accurate, as well as information about payment and financial assistance plans and billing and collection practices.

This Office and most Minnesota hospitals have entered into an agreement relating to the hospitals’ billing and collection practices. Below are some of the provisions in the Minnesota Attorney General Hospital Agreement:

Medical Assistance

Medical Assistance (Minnesota’s Medicaid program) provides medical assistance to low income citizens, children and families, and people with disabilities. To qualify for Medical Assistance, residents must meet income and asset limit eligibility guidelines. For more information about these eligibility requirements, you should contact your county’s human services agency. To view a directory of these agencies by county, visit the Minnesota Tribal and County Human Services Directory.external link icon You can also call the Minnesota Health Care Programs Help Desk at (651) 431-2670 or (800) 657-3739. Additional information about Medical Assistance, including application instructions, is available from the Minnesota Department of Human Services.external link icon

MinnesotaCare

MinnesotaCare is a health care program for Minnesota residents who do not have access to other health care insurance. Most enrollees pay a monthly premium and may have co-pays for certain services. As with Medical Assistance, applicants must meet eligibility guidelines to qualify for MinnesotaCare. For additional information about these eligibility requirements, you should contact your county’s human services agency. Contact information for these agencies can be found in the Minnesota Tribal and County Human Services Directory.external link icon You may also call the Minnesota Health Care Programs Help Desk at (651) 431-2670 or (800) 657-3739. More information about MinnesotaCare, including application instructions, is available from the Department of Human Services.external link icon

Hospital Status

A common misconception among people is that when you spend time in a hospital, you are automatically admitted as a patient, or an “inpatient,” at the hospital. Yet, even after spending the night in a hospital room, some people learn that they were not really “admitted” to the hospital. Instead, they learn that the hospital classified them as being under “observation.” Being classified as under “observation” can impact Medicare recipients in at least three ways. First, Medicare covers “observation” status stays at hospitals under Medicare Part B, which charges higher co-pays than Medicare Part A. Second, if the patient needs prescription drugs while in the hospital on “observation” status, Medicare will not cover the high cost of these drugs. Third, if a patient requires care at a skilled nursing facility following the hospital stay, he or she must be an inpatient for at least three days before Medicare will pay for any costs at the skilled nursing facility. For more information on this topic, see our flyer entitled "Know Your Hospital Status."

New Requirements for Certain Health Care Entity Transactions

On May 26, 2023, Governor Walz signed into law specific reporting requirements for certain health care entity transactions. Minnesota Statutes, sections 145D.01 and 309.715, available at 2023 Minnesota Laws Chapter 66 – H.F.No. 402. These requirements took effect May 26, 2023. For more information on this topic, see our webpage "New Requirements for Certain Health Care Entity Transactions "

Additional Resources

Information about the availability of health insurance and health care can be found on www.healthcare.gov,external link icon a website maintained by the federal government.

If you have a question or experience a problem related to medical billing or health insurance, we want to hear from you. Complaints from members of the public help us to identify potential violations of Minnesota law and new problems occurring in the health care marketplace. In addition, we can sometimes help people solve problems they are having with a medical bill or their insurance company. If you would like to file a complaint with this Office, please submit a completed Consumer Assistance Request Form to:

Office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
445 Minnesota Street, Suite 1400
St. Paul, MN 55101

The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office offers the following materials, which are designed to provide information to Minnesota citizens about health care related topics:

State Boards

The State of Minnesota has several boards that license different medical professionals (e.g. chiropractors, nurses, doctors, dentists, etc.). To file a complaint against a licensed medical professional, you may contact the following boards, as applicable:

Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy
335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 290
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651)201-2756
mn.gov/boards/behavioral-health

Minnesota Board of Chiropractic Examiners
335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 280
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 201-2850
(800) 627-3529 (Hearing/Speech Relay)
mn.gov/boards/chiropractic-examiners

Minnesota Board of Dentistry
335 Randolph Ave Suite 250
St. Paul, MN 55102
(612) 617-2250
(888) 240-4762
mn.gov/boards/dentistry

Minnesota Board of Dietetics and Nutrition Practice
335 Randolph Avenue Suite 210
St. Paul MN 55102
(651) 201-2764 
mn.gov/boards/dietetics-and-nutrition

Minnesota Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board
335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 220
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 201-2800 or (800) 747-2011
mn.gov/emsrb

Minnesota Board of Executives for Long Term Services and Supports
335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 210-B
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 201-2730
mn.gov/boards/nursing-home

Minnesota Board of Marriage and Family Therapy
335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 260
St. Paul, MN 55102
(612) 617-2220 or (800) 627-3529
mn.gov/boards/marriage-and-family

Minnesota Board of Medical Practice
335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 140
St. Paul, MN 55102
(612) 617-2130
mn.gov/boards/medical-practice

Minnesota Board of Nursing
1210 Northland Drive Suite 120
Mendota Heights, MN 55120
(612) 317-3000
mn.gov/boards/nursing

Minnesota Board of Occupational Therapy
335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 240
St. Paul, MN 55102
(612) 548-2179
mn.gov/boards/occupational-therapy

Minnesota Board of Optometry
335 Randolph Avenue Suite 210
St. Paul MN 55102
(651) 201-2762
mn.gov/boards/optometry

Minnesota Board of Pharmacy
335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 230
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 201-2825
mn.gov/boards/pharmacy

Minnesota Board of Physical Therapy
335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 285
St. Paul MN 55102
(612) 627-5406
mn.gov/boards/physical-therapy

Minnesota Board of Podiatric Medicine
335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 210
St. Paul, MN 55102
(612) 548-2175
mn.gov/boards/podiatric-medicine

Minnesota Board of Psychology
335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 270
St. Paul, MN 55102
(612) 617-2230
mn.gov/boards/psychology

Minnesota Board of Social Work
335 Randolph Ave Suite 245
St. Paul, MN 55102
(612) 617-2100 or (888) 234-1320
mn.gov/boards/social-work

Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine
335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 215
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 201-2844 or (800) 627-3529
mn.gov/boards/veterinary-medicine

Minnesota Department of Health

The Minnesota Department of Health (MNDOH) licenses and regulates HMOs in Minnesota. If your health insurance is through an HMO, you may file a complaint with the Department of Health as follows:

Minnesota Department of Health
Office of Health Facility Complaints
85 East 7th Place
PO Box 64975
Saint Paul, MN 55164
(651) 201-4201
www.health.state.mn.us

To file a complaint regarding a licensed hospital, nursing home, assisted living or home health agency, you should contact the Department of Health’s Office of Health Facility Complaints as follows:

Office of Health Facility Complaints
P.O. Box 64970
St. Paul, MN 55164-0970
(651) 201-4201 or (800) 369-7994

Minnesota Department of Commerce

The Minnesota Department of Commerce (MNDOC) has some authority to regulate certain health insurance companies and third-party administrators in Minnesota. If your self-insured plan uses a third-party administrator, or your health insurance coverage is through a health insurance company, you may file a complaint with the Commerce Department as follows:

Minnesota Department of Commerce
85 7th Place East, Suite 280
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 539-1500 (local)
(800) 657-3602 (Greater MN only)
www.mn.gov/commerce external link icon

United States Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration

The Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has authority to regulate self-insured plans. The State of Minnesota does not have authority to directly regulate self-insured plans. To file a complaint about a self-insured plan, you may contact the EBSA as follows:

Employee Benefits Security Administration
Kansas City Regional Office
2300 Main Street, Suite 1100
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 285-1800 or (866) 444-3272
www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsaexternal link icon