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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
