SE Minn. to see Medica-Mayo health plan options through MNsure

Southeast Minnesota residents will now have Medica plans that include Mayo Clinic as an in-network option on MNSure, the state's online health insurance marketplace.

Medica on Monday said it will begin offering a new health plan for individuals and families in 18 southern Minnesota counties. It will include access to Rochester's Mayo Clinic as well as Mayo Clinic Health System, Northfield Hospitals and Clinics, and Winona Health, said Medica Vice President of Individual Business Dannette Coleman.

Until now, Medica members who accessed care through Mayo's health system needed a referral to see a doctor at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

"Our two organizations came together to talk about how can we create more options and a more affordable price," Coleman said. "Based on what we have seen released thus far, these will be the lowest-priced products that are available in southeastern Minnesota."

The plan will be available on Jan. 1 and can be purchased both on and off the state's public health insurance exchange.

Medica provided these tables showing its lowest priced plans in 2014 and 2015 for southeast Minnesota.