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Minnesota dental insurance guide 2023

Minnesota dental insurance guide 2023

MNsure has certified individual and family dental plans from three insurers

Minnesota operates a state-run exchange called MNsure for the sale of certified individual/family dental plans.

Not all insurers that offer medical plans through the Minnesota exchange include pediatric dental coverage with their health plans, but stand-alone adult and family plans are available on the exchange.

Frequently asked questions about dental coverage in Minnesota

How much does dental insurance cost in Minnesota?

For adults who purchase their own stand-alone or family dental coverage through the exchange, premiums range from $37 to $99 per month.

IHC Specialty Benefits reports that the average monthly premium for a stand-alone family dental plan sold in Minnesota in 2022 was $42.20.

If a family is purchasing coverage through the health insurance exchange, the premiums associated with pediatric dental coverage may or may not be offset by premium tax credits (premium subsidies). Here’s more about how that works, depending on whether the health plan has integrated pediatric dental benefits.

Are stand-alone pediatric dental plans on the exchange ACA-compliant?

The exchange-certified pediatric stand-alone dental plans available in Minnesota will comply with the ACA’s pediatric dental coverage rules. This means out-of-pocket costs for pediatric dental care will not exceed $375 per child in 2023 (or $750 for all the children on a family’s plan), and there is no cap on medically-necessary pediatric dental benefits.

As is the case for all essential health benefits, the specific coverage requirements for pediatric dental care are guided by the state’s essential health benefits benchmark plan.

You can see details here for Minnesota’s benchmark plan, which does include coverage for both basic and major dental services for children.

Which insurers offer dental coverage through the Minnesota marketplace?

Adult and pediatric dental coverage is not automatically included with the medical plans from insurers who offer coverage through Minnesota’s health insurance marketplace.

Some health plans include pediatric coverage, but the majority of plans on the Minnesota exchange do not offer embedded dental coverage.

In 2023, there are three insurers who offer stand-alone individual/family dental coverage through the health insurance marketplace in Minnesota. These are dental plans that are not included with a medical plan and must be purchased separately:

  • Delta Dental of Minnesota
  • Dentegra
  • Guardian

These plans can be purchased through HealthCare.gov during open enrollment (November 1 to January 15) or during a special enrollment period triggered by a qualifying life event. Exchange-certified stand-alone dental plans are compliant with the ACA’s rules for pediatric dental coverage.

Can I buy dental insurance outside of Minnesota's exchange?

There are also a variety of dental insurers that sell stand-alone dental plans directly to consumers in Minnesota. These plans are not subject to the ACA’s essential health benefit rules for pediatric dental coverage, but they are regulated by the Minnesota Department of Commerce Licensing. If you would like to purchase a non-ACA qualified dental plan, ask a dentist for recommendations or search online.

There are also various dental discount plans available in every state. Dental discount plans are not insurance, but can offer discounted rates at participating dentists. Here’s what you need to know about the differences between dental insurance and dental discount plans.

To find plans in your area, search online for dental discount plans and the state you are looking to buy a plan in.

How does Minnesota Medicaid and CHIP provide dental coverage?

Adults enrolled in Medicaid in Minnesota are eligible for limited preventive dental services. Children can receive more robust benefits if eligible.

MinnesotaCare is a Basic Health Plan which offers coverage outside the exchange for low income Minnesotans. MinnesotaCare does provide non-cosmetic and medically necessary dental services to adults and children.

For children not enrolled in a MinnesotaCare program, Minnesota’s CHIP provides coverage to uninsured children and pregnant women with income above the eligibility limits for Medicaid.

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Here's what you need to know when you're shopping for adult dental coverage through a state health insurance marketplace or directly from a dental plan carrier.
There is no penalty for not having pediatric dental on your policy – and in most exchanges, you can purchase a plan without pediatric dental. But off-exchange, carriers are required ...
If you're an adult who bought a dental insurance plan, your out-of-pocket costs will depend entirely on the amount of dental care you need during the year. But for children, ...
For those who purchase their own insurance, the decision to purchase dental coverage is not always as clear-cut as the decision to purchase health insurance.
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Dental insurance and dental discount plans can both be useful in terms of reducing your total dental costs, but they vary significantly in terms of the benefits you get and ...

Other types of coverage

Individual and Family
Short-term
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Minnesota health insurance marketplace guide 2023

Minnesota's state-run exchange, MNsure, has five carriers offering plans for 2023. Average full-price premiums increased only slightly for 2023, due in part to changes to the state's reinsurance program. American Rescue Plan subsidies are still in effect, making coverage more affordable than it was prior to 2021. Various bills are under consideration in 2023, including measures to add state-funded subsidies and one that would create a public option via a MinnesotaCare buy-in program.

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Minnesota health insurance marketplace guide 2023

Short-term health insurance in Minnesota

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Medicaid eligibility and enrollment in Minnesota

Prior to 2014, Medical Assistance in Minnesota was available to parents with dependent children if their household income was up to 100% of poverty, and to adults without dependent children if their household income was up to 75% of poverty. Eligibility has since been increased to 138% of the poverty level for Medicaid, and the state has also created a Basic Health Program (MinnesotaCare), which covers those with income up to 200% of the poverty level.

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Medicaid eligibility and enrollment in Minnesota

Medicare in Minnesota

More than a million people in Minnesota have Medicare coverage, and 55% are enrolled in private plans (Medicare Advantage or Medicare Cost plans). Minnesota conducts its own standardization for Medigap plans, and has consumer protections in place to ensure access to Medigap plans for disabled beneficiaries under age 65.

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Medicare in Minnesota

Learn about health insurance coverage options in your state.

Our state guides offer up-to-date information about ACA-compliant individual and family plans and marketplace enrollment; Medicaid expansion status and Medicaid eligibility; short-term health insurance regulations and short-term plan availability; and Medicare plan options.