Important Links

State Health Improvement Program, SHIP. Resources are available through health plans and county organizations to help improve health and reduce demands on the health care system by decreasing the percentage of Minnesotans who are obese or overweight or use tobacco. Here you will find information on Disease Management / Health& Wellness Coaching, Tobacco Cessation Programs, Health Club Membership & Fitness Discounts,
Member Incentives, Employee Assistance Programs (EAP),
24/7 Nurse Information Line, Provider Services and other programs.

Letter to Secretary Sebelius. Leadership of the Minnesota Council of Health Plans, Minnesota Hospital Association and Minnesota Medical Association sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to ask that Minnesota's recommendations on health insurance exchanges be considered as HHS develops exchange regulations.

Plans to Improve Public Health Every five years Minnesota’s health plans must submit a plan to the commissioner of health describing how they will collaborate with community health boards and other organizations to achieve high-priority public health goals. Today, health plans engage in many collaborative activities to achieve public health goals. Those activities and the plans' partnerships are outlined in the 2010-2014 combined collaboration plan, prepared by the Minnesota Council of Health Plans (MCHP).

Healthcare.gov The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services outlines changes and health care that were outlined in the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This is a nation-wide overview. Keep in mind that the impact of the federal changes may vary based on your specific coverage in Minnesota.

Minnesota Credentialing Collaborative (MCC.) MCC has developed a centralized, web-based clearinghouse for information used in the credentialing process. The online product is an easy-to-use way to prepare, save and send the credentialing application that’s accepted by Minnesota health plans and hospitals. The web-based application is available to all practitioners, clinics, hospitals and health plans. Find out more.

Provider tool for submitting claims. Minnesota’s health plans have contracted with Infotech Global, Inc. (IGI) to offer providers a tool to easily meet the state's electronic claims submission law. This Web-based tool, ORBIT®, is at no cost to providers and may be used by any provider, regardless of size. Providers may register here. Here is an overview.

Minnesota Health Care Reform. Learn about the state's health care reform package designed to make significant progress toward achieving quality, affordable, accessible health care for all Minnesotans.

Bridge To Benefits. Find out if you may qualify for public programs that can help stretch your family budget. Children's Defense Fund Minnesota offers a confidential, 13-question screening that can help you determine possible eligibility for Medical Assistance, MinnesotaCare, General Assistance Medical Care, Energy Assistance, food support, tax credits and more.

ECHO. ECHO (Emergency and Community Health Outreach) exists to ensure that people with limited English proficiency receive life-saving health and safety information—in some of the languages they understand best.

Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. The mission of ICSI is to champion the cause of health care quality and to accelerate improvement in the value of the health care we deliver to the populations they serve.

MNHealthScores.org. MN Community Measurement sponsors the Website to provide Minnesotans information on health care quality. We all know quality health care is important, but did you know that quality can vary widely among provider groups and clinics?

Minnesota Department of Health, Health Economics Program. The program conducts research and applied policy analysis to monitor changes in the health care marketplace; to understand factors influencing health care cost, quality and access; and to provide technical assistance in the development of state health care policy.

Portico Healthnet. Portico connects people to free or low-cost health coverage programs by providing assistance with applications to programs such as MinnesotaCare or Medical Assistance. For those who do not qualify for these programs and meet Portico's program eligibility criteria, Portico's own program could be an option.

Minnesota Hospital Price Check. Use Minnesota Hospital Price Check to review and compare price information for local hospitals. Find Minnesota hospital prices for the 50 most common inpatient hospitalizations and the 25 most common same-day procedures.

Disclosure of Ownership, Transactions & Exclusions. Providers are asked to sign a Disclosure Statement form to meet the contract requirements between health plans and the Department of Human Services. The form approved for use with BluePlus, HealthPartners, Medica, Metropolitan Health Plan and UCare is available here. Information on where to send the completed form is included within the form.

Fraud, Waste and Abuse Compliance Training, 2010. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires compliance training related to fraud, waste and abuse awareness. This training requirement applies to organizations that provide health care services or administrative services for a Medicare-eligible individual under the Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D programs. Organizations that must complete this training will receive notice and instructions from a Plan Sponsor. Use this PowerPointpresentation to meet this requirement. It is also available as a PDF file. CMS does not allow organizations that provide the services to develop their own training to meet this requirement. If you have questions reguarding the training and who must take it, call the Plan Sponsor at the phone number listed at the end of the letter you received.