You apply for health coverage through MNsure in one of three ways: online at mnsure.org, on paper using form DHS-6696 (or DHS-3876 if everyone applying is 65+, disabled, blind, on SSI, or in a few related categories), or with free help from a certified navigator or broker reached at 651-539-2099 or 855-366-7873 outside the Twin Cities.1MNsure. MNsure – Minnesota’s Health Insurance Marketplace The MNsure application is the single door to Medical Assistance, MinnesotaCare, and private marketplace plans with premium tax credits, so even if you expect to end up with a private plan, this is where any financial help has to come from.
Which Form Fits Your Situation
Most households use form DHS-6696, “Application for Health Coverage and Help Paying Costs.” It’s the paper equivalent of the online MNsure application and covers Medical Assistance, MinnesotaCare, and private plans with premium tax credits.2Minnesota Department of Human Services. Printable Application Forms for Health Care Programs
A different form, DHS-3876 (“MHCP Application for Certain Populations”), is required only when every person in the household applying falls into one of these categories:3Minnesota Department of Human Services. Minnesota Health Care Programs – Application Forms
- Age 65 or older
- Blind or has a disability
- Applying only for Medicare Savings Programs
- Age 21 or older with no dependents under 19 and has Medicare
- Receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Applying for MA for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD)
If even one person in the household doesn’t fit those categories, use DHS-6696. Both forms are available from the Minnesota Department of Human Services website or any county human services office.2Minnesota Department of Human Services. Printable Application Forms for Health Care Programs
What to Have Ready Before You Start
Gathering documents in advance keeps the application from stalling. The form lists what you may need:4MNsure. Application for Health Coverage and Help Paying Costs (DHS-6696)
- Social Security numbers for each person applying, or document numbers for lawful immigrants who need coverage
- Income and employer information for everyone in the household (pay stubs, W-2s, wage and tax statements)
- Current health insurance policy numbers for anyone already covered
- Employer-sponsored insurance details for any job-related coverage available to your family, including through a spouse’s or parent’s employer
Who Counts as Your Household
The application asks about everyone in your home, not only the people who want coverage. For marketplace tax credit purposes, your household is the tax filer plus spouse plus anyone claimed as a tax dependent.5HealthCare.gov. Who to Include in Your Household Include household members even if they already have insurance or don’t want MNsure coverage. Children under 21 who live with you count even if you don’t claim them on your taxes.
Married couples generally have to file jointly to qualify for premium tax credits. Filing separately disqualifies you in most cases. The exception is victims of domestic abuse or spousal abandonment, who can file separately and still qualify.5HealthCare.gov. Who to Include in Your Household
How to Report Income
Eligibility is based on your projected annual income using modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), so the application asks what you expect to earn for the full calendar year, not just what you’ve earned so far.6Minnesota Department of Human Services. MinnesotaCare Income Methodology Steady paychecks make the projection easy. Variable income (seasonal work, freelancing, commissions) takes more care. The state verifies what you report against electronic sources, and if the figures don’t line up you’ll be asked for documentation. For MinnesotaCare, pay stubs from the past 30 days are requested but not required. For Medical Assistance, income verification from the past 30 days is required.7Minnesota Department of Human Services. Verification of Income – Eligibility Policy Manual
Filling Out and Submitting the Application
Online
The online application at mnsure.org is faster and often returns an eligibility decision on the spot. The flow is: compare plans and estimate costs, gather your information, create an account, apply, then enroll in a plan.8MNsure. Apply and Enroll Account creation requires identity verification. Accepted primary documents include a driver’s license, U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization, or Permanent Resident card. If you don’t have a primary document, a Social Security card paired with secondary documents can work.9MNsure. Identity Proofing and Verifications The portal flags missing fields as you go, and after you sign and submit electronically it displays a confirmation screen with a reference number. Save or print that screen.
On Paper
Form DHS-6696 runs about 20 pages across eight steps. You’ll list every family member, report income for each person, note any access to employer-sponsored insurance, and identify who needs coverage.4MNsure. Application for Health Coverage and Help Paying Costs (DHS-6696) A few things worth knowing:
- Use blue or black ink and write clearly in capital letters.
- If anyone in the household is offered health coverage through a job, including through a spouse’s or parent’s employer, check “Yes” and complete Appendix A.
- If someone is helping you with the form, complete Appendix C to authorize that person.
- Every adult applicant listed on the form has to sign and date it.
Where to Send It
Online applications submit through the portal. Paper applications have three routes:4MNsure. Application for Health Coverage and Help Paying Costs (DHS-6696)
- Fax, which the form notes is faster. County-specific fax numbers are listed on Attachment C at the back of the application.
- Mail to MNsure, PO Box 64253, St. Paul, MN 55164-0253. Certified mail gives you proof of the filing date.
- In person at your county human services agency or tribal servicing agency.3Minnesota Department of Human Services. Minnesota Health Care Programs – Application Forms
Keep a copy of everything you submit. Your filing date is what starts the processing clock and can affect when coverage begins.
When You Can Apply
Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare have no enrollment window. You can apply any time of year. Private marketplace plans are different.
Open Enrollment
Open enrollment runs November 1 through January 15. Pick a plan by December 15 and coverage starts January 1. Enroll between December 16 and January 15 and coverage starts February 1.10HealthCare.gov. When Can You Get Health Insurance?
Special Enrollment Periods
Outside open enrollment, a qualifying life event opens a special enrollment period. Common triggers are losing existing health coverage, having a baby, getting married, or moving. You generally have 60 days from the event to enroll.11MNsure. Special Enrollment Period (SEP) MNsure may ask for documents proving the event, and those documents have to arrive with enough processing time left in the 60-day window.12MNsure. Lost or Will Lose Health Coverage
After You Submit
Processing Times
Online applications often come back with an immediate eligibility determination.13Minnesota Department of Human Services. Applying for Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare Paper takes longer. State policy sets these maximums from the date the application is received:14Minnesota Department of Human Services. MHCP Processing Period – Eligibility Policy Manual
- 15 working days for a pregnant applicant
- 45 days for most other applicants
- 60 days for applicants requesting Medical Assistance based on a disability
A letter in the mail tells you which programs you or your household members qualify for, or why the application was denied.
Verification Requests
MNsure may ask you to verify details on the application, commonly income, citizenship, or immigration status. You have at least 90 days from the date of your eligibility notice to send the requested documents. For citizenship and immigration issues the deadline is 95 days.15HealthCare.gov. Required Documents and Deadlines Missing the deadline can mean losing tax credits, reduced cost-sharing help, or, for unresolved citizenship or immigration questions, losing coverage. Don’t ignore verification letters.
Picking a Plan and Activating Coverage
If you qualify for a private marketplace plan with tax credits, log back in and choose a specific plan from the available options. For Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare, the eligibility notice explains your next steps and any premium owed. If you qualified during a special enrollment period after losing coverage, the new plan generally starts the first day of the month after you pick it.12MNsure. Lost or Will Lose Health Coverage Pay the first premium promptly, because coverage doesn’t activate until that payment clears.
If You’re Denied or Disagree With the Decision
You can appeal an eligibility denial or a program assignment you believe is wrong. The appeal has to reach MNsure within 90 days of the eligibility notice date, and you can file by mail, phone, online, or in person.16Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Rules 7700.0105 – MNsure Eligibility Appeals If your health is at immediate risk, you can request an expedited appeal.17HealthCare.gov. How to Appeal a Marketplace Decision
Free Help With the Application
MNsure-certified navigators and brokers help with enrollment at no cost, by virtual meeting, phone, or in person. Navigators are trained enrollment specialists who can walk you through the application and explain the financial help you qualify for but can’t recommend one plan over another. Brokers are licensed insurance agents who can also help you compare and pick specific plans. Find an assister at mnsure.org/help/find-assister, or call MNsure at 651-539-2099 (855-366-7873 outside the Twin Cities), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.