State insurance exchange contractor selected

Minnesota has selected Maximus, a Virginia-based company, to develop the technology to support the state’s health insurance exchange.  The exchange’s technology will include elements such as “eligibility determination, account administration, display of benefit plan costs and options, and health care provider information.”  The $41 million contract is excepted to run through 2014 and exchange’s technology will include elements such as eligibility determination, account administration, display of benefit plan costs and options, and health care provider information. Through the contract with Maximus, the exchange will be “a user friendly tool that will help more than 1.2 million Minnesotans choose the quality coverage they need at a price they can afford, ” said Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman.

Minnesota sees smallest year-to-year health care cost increase in more than a decade

Total health care spending in Minnesota increased 2.2 percent to $37.7 billion in 2010, which was the slowest growth rate observed since 1997, according to a report released by the Health Economics Program at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).

Governor Dayton reaffirms Minnesota’s commitment to Minnesota-made health insurance exchange

Governor Mark Dayton reaffirmed Minnesota’s commitment to designing and developing a state-based health insurance exchange for Minnesota. Governor Dayton declared his commitment to that effort in a letter to HHS Secretary Sebelius (PDF: 2.46MB/2 pages). In addition, the Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange Outreach, Communications and Marketing Work Group also recently posted some preliminary Minnesota market research presented July 10.

Health Care Reform Task Force discusses access and work force issues

The Health Care Reform Task Force approved a set of working recommendations for improving Minnesota's health care workforce at its meeting July 12. The presentations and working recommendations are available under meeting materials.

CMS gives Essentia Health ACO nod

%he Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Essentia Health, along with 88 other organizations, to a list of accountable care organizations (ACOs). ACOs that succeed in reducing the rate of growth in the cost of care while continuing to provide high quality care will share the savings with Medicare.  Located in Duluth, Essentia Health is comprised of a combination of ACO group practices, critical access hospitals, and a rural health clinic, with 1,404 physicians. The new ACO will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. The complete list of recently approved ACOs is available online.

MDH certifies new clinics as Health Care Homes

The Minnesota Department of Health has certified 2 new clinics as health care homes. The newly certified clinics are AALFA Family Clinic, White Bear Lake, and Sanford Health, Mahnomen. These clinics and providers have met the standards to become certified as Health Care Homes in the State of Minnesota. For more information, or to find a health care home near you, go to: http://www.health.state.mn.us/healthreform/homes/index.html