About HealthShare™

The Minnesota Legislature approved HealthShare™ in an effort to try a new model to reduce the number of people who are uninsured. In Minnesota, 8.7 percent of the population does not have any type of health coverage. Most uninsured adults are employed full-time.

HealthShare™ is the only program of its kind in Minnesota. The program is modeled after similar multiple-share coverage programs operating in a few areas of the US.

It was initiated by the Twin Ports Health Access Program a multifaceted, community based approach to increasing access to health care for uninsured residents. The collaborative partners include Duluth health care providers, county public health and human services, nonprofit agencies, faith-based organizations and Generations Health Care Initiatives.

With HealthShare™, the business must meet certain eligibility reqirements (see menu link to the left), such as:

• Employ 50 or fewer people
• Pay a median hourly wage of $12.50 or less
• Business has not offered health insurance benefits to all of its employees, or a designated group of their employees, during the previous 12 months. For example, some employers offer insurance benefits to their FT employees, but not their PT employees. In that case, their PT employees would still be eligible for HealthShare™.
• Be located in southern St. Louis or Lake County, MN (The program will later expand to Carlton, Cook, and northern St. Louis County)

An important feature of HealthShare™ is the focus on preventive care, health education, and using health care services at the right time and in the right place.Members can choose to enroll in either the Standard Option or the Wellness Option. With the Wellness Option, members take an active role in improving their health AND pay less if they are making progress towards their health goals.