Choosing a MNsure Marketplace Plan with HELPcare Clinic Membership

When I led the social media team at Mayo Clinic, I had my colonoscopy live-streamed on Periscope (we called it the #ScopeScope) in 2016 to help de-mystify that process and encourage people to get screened for colorectal cancer, which is probably one of the most preventable cancers.

All colon cancers start with polyps, and polyps found and removed during a colonoscopy never turn into cancer.

The #ScopeScope was part of a national pubic awareness campaign, and led to my picture being plastered on the NASDAQ building in Times Square.

So having done that, it didn't seem like too much of a stretch to use my own experience in shopping for health insurance to help others learn how they can save, too.

Earlier today I completed sign-up for a MNsure health insurance policy for Lisa and me, and I likewise recorded the process so I could share and show how we made our decision on which policy made the most sense for us, especially in the context of the care we have through our HELPcare Clinic membership.

While health insurance open enrollment season is over for most people with employment-based health insurance, those choosing marketplace plans through the Affordable Care Act (MNsure.org in Minnesota) have until Dec. 15 to select an insurance plan for coverage starting Jan. 1, 2024. (For policies starting Feb. 1, the deadline is Jan. 15.)

John Kelly is someone I've met through my involvement in the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce. Besides having 30+ years of experience working in health care, he's a licensed health insurance agent and on the roster of MNsure "Assisters." Here are some excerpts of a Zoom meeting he and I had last week, in which he helped me complete our MNsure application to see how much premium assistance would be available to Lisa and me.

John does a great job of explaining the process, and his services (and those of other Assisters) are free, so if you're looking to sign up for a marketplace plan I would strongly recommend you take advantage of this free help.

Because we get our primary care at HELPcare Clinic, we were able to choose a Bronze plan with a $3,200 single deductible for only about $50/month more than a comparable plan with a $7,500 deductible.

Here's our conversation from earlier this morning (or you can scroll down to get the highlights):

Here were the three "finalist" options we considered, along with the key features of each:

Here's why we picked the middle option:

• While the individual yearly deductible for the Silver plan on the right was $2,200 ($4,400/couple), the premium would be $315/month (or $3,784/year) higher than the lowest Bronze option.
• If we were to have a really terrible year in which both of us went to our out-of-pocket maximum, the total costs actually be a little higher in the Silver plan because of the higher monthly premiums.
• That $322.34/month Bronze plan had a $7,500 single/$15,000 couple deductible. Through our HELPcare Clinic membership, we'll be getting our diagnostic blood tests and all of our primary care at no charge. So if got through the year with no need for hospital or specialist services or imaging, this would be the lowest-cost option.
• Taking the plan in the middle column, with 50% coinsurance on primary care, made sense to us because primary care is free with our HELPcare Clinic membership. We don't have to worry about paying for primary care and won't be submitting any claims for that anyway. We'll be paying $52/month more than the lowest-premium Bronze plan, but for a plan with a MUCH lower deductible: $3,200 individual/$6,400 couple. So it gave us the best of the other two options.

I thought you might find this helpful educational material if you're still making your open enrollment decision.

Of course, your premium amounts will differ based on your income and the tax credits available to you. You should discuss your individual situation with John or another MNsure Assister.

To learn more about how HELPcare Clinic can get you most of the health care you need through an affordable membership, request our free Saving Through Membership booklet:

Share this:

Lee Aase

Lee Aase is the founder of HELPcare LLC, which provides comprehensive membership, marketing and management services for provider-owned HELPcare Clinics, as well as metabolic health education and coaching for people interested in restoring health and reversing disease through lifestyle changes. Lee and his wife Lisa live in Austin, MN and have six married children and 19 grandchildren.