Affordable health insurance for the individual, the family and the self-employed

North Dakota Health Insurance

How healthy is living in North Dakota?

North Dakota is considered the 8th healthiest state to live in, according to an annual survey which ranks states in 20 categories.

It leads the nation in low cases of infectious disease, only one other state has less violent crime (Maine is even safer) and is in the top three for least amount of sick days and mental health days taken.

North Dakota has one major blemish on its record -- it leads the nation in binge drinking (21 percent of its population report taking part). It also faces challenges in the adequecy of prenatal care, has too many children living in poverty (16.3 percent) and occupational fatalities.

Still, the good greatly outweighs the bad. There are only three other states that have a lesser rate of premature deaths and only five states has fewer cancer deaths per 100,000 in population.

See the United Health Foundation's latest findings on North Dakota.

Does North Dakota have a risk pool for the uninsurable?

Comprehensive Health Association of North Dakota (North Dakota health insurance risk pool)
Toll-free 1-800-737-0016 or (701) 277-2271

Risk pools are state-sponsored programs to help people with a history of medical problems in their family to purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of a pre-existing health condition. These programs can vary significantly from state-to-state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the poolto keep it in the black. In the best cases they allow people to be able to switch jobs or become self-employed without the fear of losing their health insurance coverage. Find more on risk pools here.

Cover The Uninsured's guide on finding health insurance in North Dakota

Cover The Uninsured is a national effort to highlight the fact that too many Americans are living without health insurance and to demand solutions from our nation's leaders. Read more information on its efforts. It is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Cover The Uninsured's facts on the uninsured in North Dakota.
Its guide on how to find health insurance in North Dakota.
Materiales En Español -- Guías para encontrar cobertura de seguro de salud.

Georgetown University's Guide to Health Insurance in North Dakota

Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute has researched and written state-by-state guides for finding and keeping health insurance. It updates these guides as federal and state policies change. A number of non-profit organizations contribute to funding its research. Find more on the Health Policy Institute.

Georgetown's guide for North Dakota.

News headlines on North Dakota health insurance

Find the most recent headlines on health insurance in North Dakota at Google News or Yahoo News.

Want single-payer health care? Concerned about the uninsured?
Contact your elected officials about health care issues

Contact your federal officials. Phone calls are best. Faxes are good, too. Since 9-11 postal mail creates long delays, and many members of Congress simply do not take e-mail seriously -- however, since e-mail is so easy it doesn't hurt to do that, too. Members of the Senate and Congress will usually ignore any correspondence that is not from their district, so its not desirable to blanket e-mail them (this type of abuse is why many do not view it favorably). The Electronic Frontier Foundation has a guide on how to contact your elected officials, including a valuable list of dos and dont's.

Contact the White House
Phone: toll free 1-800-671-7887 (ask for the Comment Line)
FAX: 1 202-456-2461 (fax)
E-mail:comments@whitehouse.gov
Find contact information on your U.S. Representative
Locate by using your ZIP Code
Or if you know who your representative is, simply call the Capitol Switchboard toll-free at 1-800-962-3524

North Dakota's representative is:
Congressman Earl Pomeroy
Washington DC Office
1501 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2611

Bismarck:
Room 328, Federal Building
220 East Rosser Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58501
Phone: (701) 224-0355

Fargo:
3003 32nd Ave S Suite 6
Fargo, ND 58103
Phone: (701) 235-9760

Senator Kent Conrad
PHONE: 202-224-2043 (DC office)
FAX: 202-224-7776 (DC office)
Contact by E-mail

Minot:
U.S. Federal Building, Room 105
100 1st Street SW
Minot, ND 58701
Phone: (701) 852-0703
Fax: (701) 838-8196

Grand Forks:
U.S. Federal Building, Room 104
102 North 4th Street
Grand Forks, ND 58203
Phone: (701) 775-9601
Fax: (701) 746-1990

Bismarck:
U.S. Federal Building, Room 228
220 East Rosser Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58501
Phone: (701) 258-4648
Fax: (701) 258-1254

Fargo:
U.S. Federal Building, Room 306
657 2nd Avenue North
Fargo, ND 58102
Phone: (701) 232-8030
Fax: (701) 232-6449

Statewide toll-free:1-800-223-4457

Senator Byron Dorgan
PHONE: 202-224-2551 (DC office)
FAX: 202-224-224-1193 (DC office)
Local offices
Contact by E-mail
Bismarck:
312 Federal Building
PO Box 2579
Bismarck, ND 58502
Phone (701) 250-4618

Fargo:
1802 32nd Ave South Suite B
PO Box 9060
Fargo, ND 58106
Phone (701) 239-5389

Minot:
Suite 105
100 1st Street, SW
Minot, ND 58701
Phone (701) 852-0703

Grand Forks:
102 North 4th Street
Grand Forks, ND 58201
Phone (701) 746-8972

Statewide toll-free:1-800-666-4482

Contact your state officials:

North Dakota Governor John Hoeven
600 East Boulevard Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58505-0001
PHONE:701-328-2200
FAX: 701-328-2205
Contact by e-mail
Contact your North Dakota State Senator and Representative

USNews health insurance rankings for North Dakota

US News does an annual ranking of what it considers the best health insurance plans in each state. Visit its reports on various health insurance or medical insurance plans being offered in North Dakota.

Official State Goverment Sites with North Dakota Health Insurance Information

North Dakota Department of Health -- The State Health Officer's comprehensive site for health care information for state residents.

North Dakota Insurance Department -- health insurance section -- look for links to pages of information in the left-hand navigation bar.

Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) -- designed to provide health care insurance for children in families without health insurance or with inadequate health insurance. It does not replace Medicaid; in fact, children on Medicaid are precluded from CHIP participation.