MNsure nears 2016 private-plan enrollment goal

Allison O'Toole
MNsure Interim Chief Executive Officer Allison O'Toole tells reporters that MNsure is already receiving calls from consumers worried about double-digit insurance premium hikes for next year, during a media tour of the call center, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015, in St. Paul, Minn. MNsure officials say they're ready to handle a flood of customers when open enrollment begins Sunday.
Jim Mone | AP

MNsure said Monday it has reached more than 80 percent of its 2016 private-plan enrollment goal.

Almost 68,000 people enrolled in 2016 private health insurance plans between Nov. 1 and Dec. 28, MNsure said.

"We really happy about that to see new traffic to our site that means a lot of the things we're doing are working," said Allison O'Toole, MNsure's CEO.

She said four in ten of the 2016 enrollees were new to the Minnesota exchange. The remainder were renewals from 2015.

O'Toole said although the deadline to have coverage in place starting Jan. 1 has passed, Minnesotans can still take advantage of possible tax credits between now and the end of the month.

Those who enroll before Jan. 15 will have coverage beginning in February. If enrolling in the latter half of January, coverage will begin March 1.

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