North Dakota Health Insurance
Many North Dakotans will have access to new health insurance options in 2014 thanks to the Affordable Care Act. According to a December 2012 Kaiser Family Foundation report, Gov. Jack Dalrymple announced his state would not create its own health insurance marketplace. However, North Dakota is one of 27 states and Washington, D.C., that chose to expand Medicaid in 2014.
State residents can still visit the federal marketplace at HealthCare.gov. North Dakotans can register for an account, complete the application process and find out if they are qualified for tax credits, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (also known as CHIP).
Additionally, the North Dakota Department of Insurance maintains a health reform section to assist state residents in learning more about their options.
Do you qualify for a North Dakota health insurance subsidy?
Because North Dakota elected to expand Medicaid coverage in the state, the Kaiser Family Foundation reports 70 percent of formerly uninsured state residents qualify for some type of financial assistance through tax credits, Medicaid or CHIP. Qualified state residents can apply tax credits against premiums for private North Dakota health insurance plans sold on the federal marketplace. This illustrates which North Dakota residents may qualify for financial assistance.
- Eligibility for subsidies will typically be based on 2013 poverty level limits, and Medicare and CHIP qualification will typically be based on 2014 limits.
- People with income between 100 and 400 percent of the poverty level may qualify for a subsidy. This would be between $23,550 and $94,200 for a family of four and $11,490 and $45,960 for an individual.
- Adults with income less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level might qualify for Medicaid, and this translates to an income of about $16,105 for one person.
- Children from North Dakota families with an income of less than 175 percent of the poverty level — about $41,735 for a family of four — might qualify for CHIP.
People who earn too much or have access to other affordable North Dakota health insurance generally won’t qualify for subsidies, but they may choose to purchase coverage from the marketplace anyway. These plans must provide mandated basic benefits, and they cannot discriminate against applicants because of pre-existing medical issues.
Health insurance companies in North Dakota with marketplace plans
These three insurers participate in the health insurance exchange for North Dakota residents:
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Dakota
- Medica
- Sanford Health Plan
North Dakota health and coverage statistics
North Dakota population (2013): 723,393
Population 65 and older (2012): 14.4 percent
Life expectancy (2010): 79.5 years
Number of Medicaid beneficiaries (2012): 64,300
Number of Medicare beneficiaries (2012): 86,300
Estimated number of uninsured residents (2012): 70,600
Overall state health ranking: 9
Sources: Kaiser Family Foundation, U.S. Census Bureau, America’s Health Rankings 2014 report.
North Dakota health insurance resources
North Dakota Department of Health: http://www.ndhealth.gov/
Federal marketplace: HealthCare.gov
North Dakota Department of Insurance: http://www.nd.gov/ndins/
North Dakota Medicaid: http://www.nd.gov/dhs/services/medicalserv/medicaid/
North Dakota Children’s Health Insurance Program: http://www.nd.gov/dhs/services/medicalserv/chip/
Adults and Aging Services: http://www.nd.gov/dhs/services/adultsaging/
Kaiser Family Foundation: http://kff.org/tag/north-dakota/
