MNsure hits enrollment goal, CEO expected to comment

Minnesota's state insurance exchange MNsure experienced numerous issues since its roll out last October, but was able to exceed its sign-up goal within the open enrollment period.

According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, more than 169,200 state residents were able to enroll in insurance benefits through MNsure before the open enrollment date of March 31 passed. This is 35,000 more than the exchange's sign-up goal. Approximately one-quarter of those enrollees are Minnesotans between the ages of 18 and 34, a key demographic for the exchange. Having a large number of young, healthy people enrolled in insurance benefits keeps costs low.

The marketplace's interim CEO Scott Leitz will spoke to a congressional panel on April 3 about the exchange's overall success, according to an article in the Star Tribune, which received an advanced copy of Leitz's testimony. Leitz focused on the stories of Minnesotans, especially the family of Corey and Kate Needleman, to show how the website fixed its challenges after its roll out, despite many claiming it would take MNsure a considerable amount of time to be operational.

"Today, I am proud to say MNsure is stable, secure and successful," Leitz said. "And because of our efforts, the Needlemans are just a few of 169,005 people in Minnesota who now have access to affordable, comprehensive coverage because of MNsure."