Time running out to enroll for health care

MNsure has added Sunday hours to its call center to help consumers sign up for health insurance by the March 31 deadline.

Insurers are reminding Minnesotans who buy coverage on the individual market that they only have about a week left to enroll.

Consumers may not like the deadlines, but they're critical to keeping insurance rates stable and predictable under the requirements of the federal health care law, siad Scott Keefer of Blue Cross Blue Shield Minnesota.

"That issue of predictability is really important for people to understand, that we're just not making this up because we don't want to cover people outside of the deadline. In order for the system to work under those new market rules we have to have those deadlines," Keefer said.

Most consumers who lack insurance after March 31 won't be able to secure commercial insurance until November and will be subject to a tax penalty of up to 1 percent of household income.

People who qualify for public health programs like Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare can still enroll after March 31.

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