Media Toolkit for Covering MN Health Care

To save reporters time in researching complex Minnesota health care stories, the Minnesota Council of Health Plans has developed this brief online media toolkit. If you have suggestions for additional information we can provide, please e-mail us at smith@mnhealthplans.org.

When a Health Plan Is Not an HMO: an ERISA Primer
Industry Overview
Challenging Health Plan Decisions
Contacts and Sources

When a Health Plan Is Not an HMO: an ERISA Primer

Nearly 2 million people covered by Minnesota's nonprofit health plans are not subject to health plan regulations passed by the Minnesota Legislature. Why? Most health care coverage offered by large employers are "self-funded." They are therefore regulated by the federal government and exempt from all state insurance and HMO regulations under the Federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

Industry Overview

See "Minnesota Health Plans: Leaders. Innovators. Employers."

Challenging Health Plan Decisions

See "How to File a Complaint."

Contacts and Sources

For health plan-related information — including additional contact names and phones numbers for health care data, self-insurance or ERISA-related stories, the Minnesota business perspective on hot health insurance topics or health care ethics issues — contact:

Eileen Smith
Communications Director,
Minnesota Council of Health Plans
651-645-0099, ext.11
smith@mnhealthplans.org