While most Minnesotans get their coverage through employers or from programs such as Medicare, a slender but important percentage buy health insurance on their own. This includes consultants, entrepreneurs, farm families and others who are self-employed.

There's welcome news for those in this group, which is about 3% of the state's population.

Open enrollment for the state's individual insurance market began Nov. 1. It ends Jan. 15 for consumers buying through MNsure, the state's online insurance marketplace. Those who live in other states and use healthcare.gov have until Jan. 16 due to the Martin Luther King holiday falling on Jan. 15.

Coverage for plans bought this month won't kick in until Feb. 1. While it's best to have health insurance for all 12 months of 2024, coverage lasting 11 months is the next best option for those who need extra time to shop.

MNsure CEO Libby Caulum offered this reminder of insurance's importance — peace of mind — for those who haven't yet bought a plan. "Having health insurance is your protection from really devastating financial burdens if you get sick or get injured," she said.

Bills can quickly add up when care is needed. "The cost of inpatient hospital admissions for surgical and medical care nearly doubled from 2008 to 2018," according to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker.

In 2021, the most recent data available in this tracking tool, the average cost of an inpatient admission was $24,680. That rose to $47,345 when the hospital stay involved surgery. The tracking tool used cost data for large-group employer health plans.

Health insurance also covers a wide range of preventive services at no cost — such as immunizations, cholesterol checks and mammograms for women who meet medical screening guidelines. This care can help people stay out of the hospital.

Plans sold through MNsure meet the Affordable Care Act's coverage requirements, an important consumer protection. Other options, such as health-sharing ministries, may offer a plan that sounds like a good deal but is anything but.

As the Star Tribune Editorial Board has previously warned, the insurance industry does not consider health-sharing ministries to be insurance. These entities are under no obligation to pay for enrollees' claims. Coverage for pre-existing conditions, such as cancer, could be denied. Mental health or preventive care may also not be covered.

Buyer beware also applies to other "plans" that may pop up after a Google search, particularly those offering monthly premium prices that sound too good to be true.

Fortunately, more Minnesotans are turning to MNsure. The marketplace set a new early enrollment record last month, with 132,789 people signing up between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15. "Private health plan sign-ups have increased by 11% compared to the same time last year," according to a recent news release.

There are likely many factors driving increased enrollment, including MNsure's name recognition as it celebrates its 10-year anniversary. But the good deals on health plans are a critical factor.

Enhanced financial assistance has expanded the number of Minnesotans eligible for aid that acts as an instant discount for monthly insurance premiums. Those whose incomes were too high to qualify previously may now find that they qualify.

The assistance is only available for those who buy on MNsure. With this enhanced aid, in 2024 eligible families will save an average of $6,750.

Those facing high costs for an employer-provided health plan covering the entire family should also check in online with MNsure. There may be less expensive options available through the marketplace to cover a breadwinner's spouse and children. More information is available at tinyurl.com/familycoverageoptions.

There's no need to navigate MNsure and coverage options on your own. A network of free navigators, assisters and brokers is available around the state, with some offering a remote option for consumers who don't want to travel to an office. Just go to MNsure.org and click on "Find Free Help."

Caulum urges consumers who aren't sure if they qualify for help to contact MNsure and its expert network. "My advice: It doesn't hurt to ask," she said.