Financial Help FAQ

No. MNsure remains the only place where consumers can qualify for financial help either through a federal tax credit or cost-sharing reductions or the MinnesotaCare and Medical Assistance programs to help pay the cost for their health insurance plan.

It's your choice. We anticipate that most people will choose to receive the tax credit monthly. The monthly option works this way: 

1. Your tax credit is sent to your insurance company
2. The amount is deducted from your premium bill
3. You are charged for the difference, giving you instant monthly savings

Or, you can choose to get all of the premium tax credit when you file your federal tax return for the year.

Learn more about claiming or reporting tax credits.

A tax credit lowers your monthly private health plan insurance premium costs. MNsure will apply the full amount available to you towards the cost of your premium unless you have indicated otherwise. The cost-sharing reductions are a discount that lowers the amount you have to pay out of pocket for deductibles, co-insurance and co-payments.

Read more about using your tax credit.

Your eligibility for a tax credit or cost-sharing reductions is based on the most recent information that you reported to MNsure. Be sure to report changes and submit any requested proof as soon as possible. If you submit information that is not truthful or accurate, your private plan coverage may be terminated and you may have to repay any payments that you are not entitled to, including advance payment of premium tax credits.

You can apply any time to see if you are eligible to buy insurance through MNsure and if you qualify for financial help. Your eligibility for financial help depends on the cost of your employer-sponsored insurance plan and what coverage you qualify for through MNsure. More details are on our employer-sponsored insurance page.

Please note: You cannot drop coverage and choose a private health insurance plan through MNsure outside of the annual open enrollment period unless you qualify for a special enrollment period.

Starting in 2023, family members of Minnesotans with offers of family coverage through an employer may now qualify for an advanced premium tax credit through MNsure. 

You can use this estimator tool to see if your family members might qualify for these savings. Or, to get an official eligibility determination, apply through MNsure and select the application WITH financial help.

In the past, the ability to access tax credits through MNsure depended on whether job-based insurance for the employee was considered affordable, no matter how much it cost to cover their whole family. This was commonly called the “family glitch.”

In this situation, the family could not afford a family plan through the employer, or get premium tax credits through MNsure to lower the cost of their health insurance. 

A change in a federal rule fixed the “family glitch.” Starting with plan year 2023, if employer-sponsored insurance is affordable for the employee, but it’s not for family members, the family members could be eligible for financial help through MNsure, even if they weren’t eligible before.

Affordability for family coverage is determined using the cost to cover the employee’s family. The affordability limit for health coverage is 9.02% of the employee’s projected annual tax household income for 2025.

You can get free help from a MNsure-certified broker on your questions about employer-sponsored insurance. Brokers can also help you to decide between employer-sponsored insurance and a plan through MNsure. If you decide to enroll through MNsure, a broker can also help you to shop and select a plan that fits your needs and budget. 

Please note that MNsure Contact Center representatives cannot provide enrollment guidance.

If you have questions about employer-sponsored insurance or need help with updating your application, you can get free help from a MNsure-certified broker. 

You can also call the MNsure Contact Center at 651-539-2099 (855-366-7873 outside the Twin Cities).

If you have questions about employer-sponsored insurance or need help updating your application, you can get free help from a MNsure-certified broker.

You can also call the MNsure Contact Center at 651-539-2099 (855-366-7873 outside the Twin Cities).

Go to the IRS Form 1095-A section for more information.

Yes, you can choose to apply all or part of any estimated credit, if eligible, to your premiums to lower what you pay monthly. Or, you can choose to get all of the premium tax credit when you file your tax return for the year. Either way, you use information from your IRS Form 1095-A to complete IRS Form 8962 when you file your federal tax return. Read more about claiming or reporting premium tax credits.

If advanced premium tax credit (APTC) payments were applied to your health coverage, then you will file your federal taxes for that coverage year using IRS Form 8962. Form 8962 will tell the IRS how much premium assistance was paid to your health plan on your behalf during the tax year. The IRS will compare the amount of advanced credit that was already applied to your coverage to what you qualify for (based on the income and household size you claim on your tax return).

For example:

• If you use more advanced premium tax credit than you qualify for based on your final yearly income, you must repay the difference when you file your federal income tax return.
• If you use less advanced premium tax credit than you qualify for, you’ll get the difference as a refundable credit when you file your taxes.

If you received a premium tax credit in a past year and have not filed a federal tax return for that year, you will no longer be eligible for premium tax credits or cost-sharing reductions. You should file a tax return as soon as possible, including a completed IRS Form 8962.

You should have received an IRS Form 1095-A from MNsure to help fill out Form 8962 and file your federal income tax return. If you did not receive a copy of this form, call the MNsure Contact Center. After you file your tax return, call the MNsure Contact Center to report that information.

• If you have questions about your household's tax filing status, use Interactive Tax Assistant or call IRS Telephone Assistance for Individuals at 1-800-829-1040. Search "tax transcript" for more information about whether your tax return has been processed by the IRS.
• For more information on filing a federal tax return using Form 8962, visit HealthCare.gov or IRS.gov.
• MNsure cannot provide tax advice or provide any information about your tax filing status. You must contact the IRS directly.

Yes. When you complete your application, you must agree that you intend to file a federal tax return in order to have an advanced premium tax credit (APTC) or cost-sharing reductions (CSR) applied to your private health plan. You must file a federal income tax return, even if you're usually not required to file. Your APTC is estimated based on your projected household income and family composition for the year and other information. When you file your tax return, the Internal Revenue Service determines the final amount of tax credit you qualify for based on the actual income you received during the year. Filing a tax return for any year in which you received APTC also ensures that you have the opportunity to get APTC or CSR in future years.

Find more information about your rights and responsibilities.

• If you have filed a tax return using IRS Form 8962, call the MNsure Contact Center to report that information.
• If you have questions about your household's tax filing status for any year, use Interactive Tax Assistant or call IRS Telephone Assistance for Individuals at 1-800-829-1040. Search for "tax transcript" on the IRS website for more information about whether the IRS has processed your tax return.
• For more information on filing a federal tax return using IRS Form 8962, visit HealthCare.gov or IRS.gov.
• MNsure cannot provide tax advice or provide any information about your tax filing status. You must contact the IRS directly.

No.

Indicate on your MNsure application your tax filer status, include any tax dependents, and select “Never Married” as your marital status.

If you're living apart from your spouse and are a victim of domestic abuse, domestic violence, or spousal abandonment and want to enroll in your own health plan separate from your abuser or abandoner, you can submit an application for health coverage through MNsure. You will need to certify on your IRS Form 8962 when you file your taxes that you are a victim of domestic abuse or spousal abandonment.

Follow the instructions on the  Report Income Change page.

You may be eligible for low- or no-cost coverage, or increased financial help toward paying for your current plan.

Right away. 

Follow the instructions on the  Report Income Change page.

You may be eligible for low- or no-cost coverage, or increased financial help toward paying for your current plan.

You may qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP) to enroll in coverage through MNsure if you lost health coverage in the past 60 days OR you expect to lose coverage in the next 60 days, through:

• Your employer.
• The employer of a family member.
  
• A parent or guardian because you're no longer a dependent.

To avoid a gap in coverage you can apply for this SEP up to 60 days before your coverage ends.

You can also apply for this SEP up to 60 days after your employer coverage ends.

You may qualify for increased financial help in paying for your current plan. Or, you could be eligible for low-cost or no-cost health coverage through Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare.

Call the MNsure Contact Center or work with a MNsure-certified assister to report this income change right away.

You may qualify for no- or low-cost health coverage through Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare. These programs provide comprehensive health coverage and enrollment in is open year-round.

You can get an estimate of your eligibility from the income guidelines or our estimator tool. You will need to complete an application to determine your actual eligibility.

You may qualify for no- or low-cost health coverage through Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare. These programs provide comprehensive health coverage and enrollment in is open year-round.

You can get an estimate of your eligibility from the income guidelines or our estimator tool. You will need to complete an application to determine your actual eligibility.

Before enrolling in COBRA, review your coverage options, MNsure can provide affordable options to maintain coverage. To avoid a gap in coverage, you can apply for a special enrollment period through MNsure up to 60 days before your COBRA coverage ends.

Important: If you do enroll in COBRA, and voluntarily decide to end your COBRA coverage early, this would not qualify for a special enrollment period to enroll through MNsure.

You may qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP) to enroll in health insurance through MNsure if your employer stops subsidizing your COBRA premium and you must now pay the full cost of the premium.

To avoid a gap in coverage you can apply for this SEP up to 60 days before or after your employer stops subsidizing the COBRA premium.