Voices of Minnesota: Protecting Medicare Choices

Protect Minnesotans' Access to Medicare Plans

Older Minnesotans are facing a critical issue that could impact their access to essential Medicare plans. A state law passed in 2023 was designed to protect their right to choose the best Medicare plan for their needs, including Medicare Supplemental plans (Medigap). However, some lawmakers are now attempting to repeal this law, which would strip away these protections and limit their choices.

Below are messages from concerned Minnesotans.

Dawn, St. Paul, MN

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Write to your lawmaker today to protect your Medicare choices and ensure that all Minnesotans have access to the healthcare coverage they need. Your voice matters!

Gary, St. Paul, MN

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Write to your lawmaker today to protect your Medicare choices and ensure that all Minnesotans have access to the healthcare coverage they need. Your voice matters!

Mike, Lakeville, MN

Take Action

Write to your lawmaker today to protect your Medicare choices and ensure that all Minnesotans have access to the healthcare coverage they need. Your voice matters!

Mark, Mendota Heights, MN

Take Action

Write to your lawmaker today to protect your Medicare choices and ensure that all Minnesotans have access to the healthcare coverage they need. Your voice matters!

Minnesota lawmakers please keep your word for Minnesota Seniors.

Calling on Minnesota lawmakers to join AARP, several Health Justice organizations and hundreds and thousands of Minnesotans to Protect Access for Medicare Supplemental plans for Minnesota seniors like it was passed to do in 2023. According to Neilsberg research (Feb, 2025) there are 962,143 population 65+ that this affects.

Thanks to a state law passed in 2023, more older Minnesotans will be able to choose the best Medicare plan that meets their needs. It is set to take effect in 2026.

Minnesotans say No to the MN lawmakers that are attempting to repeal this law, which will make it more difficult to switch from Advantage plans to traditional Medicare with a supplement or vice versa. Taking away this consumer choice and attaching a 10% lifetime penalty is unfair, unacceptable and just wrong. It will not improve care or cost for older Minnesotan it wil only cause hurt for us.

Minnesotans, AARP and others are asking MN lawmakers to keep their word, stand with 962,143 65+ Minnesotans and allow the existing law to take effect and minimize potential harm the change in the Commerce Omnibus bill will cause.

Please stand with Minnesota Seniors.

Why change an existing health insurance law that allows older Americans to switch from Medicare Advantage plans to Medicare Supplement plans without having to answer a bunch of questions about their health? Well, that is exactly what some state legislators want to do by amending or repealing a law that will allow Minnesotans to leave an Advantage plan and enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan with having to answer a bunch of private health questions.

With all the hoopla about Advantage plans messing with older Americans access to health care, you’ve got to wonder who these Legislators really work for. I hope it is still older Minnesotans who face health issues as they age and want to return to Medicare + Supplemental coverage.

The current law as written allows older Minnesotans to obtain the coverage they want without having to answer private questions about their health condition. Some lawmakers either want to repeal it or add a 10% lifetime penalty on top of the premium (that’s right a Lifetime penalty). I realize that Insurance Carriers don’t like this risk, but they still justify rate increases every year and can come up with an actuarial sound rate given this change.

I urge Lawmakers to consider the impact on older Minnesotans and vote to protect their right to choose the Medicare plan that best suits their needs.

The Minnesota Legislature is considering a bill to repeal a law that helps older Minnesotans choose the best Medicare plan for their needs. Repealing this law would make it harder for Minnesotans to switch from Advantage plans to traditional Medicare with a supplement, and deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions.

My wife and I are relatively healthy and new to Medicare. Should our health change and insurance needs change, this could adversely impact us at a time when we are more financially vulnerable.

This law will help more Minnesotans get the coverage they need, when they need it. But some lawmakers want to repeal it or add a 10% lifetime penalty for switching plans. The MN Department of Commerce predicts that by 2030, over 162,000 Minnesotans will lose their right to switch to a Medigap plan if the law is repealed. Taking away older Minnesotans’ consumer choice is simply unfair, and eliminates competition which could drive up over-all medical costs.

Lawmakers must consider the impact on older Minnesotans and vote to protect their right to choose the Medicare plan that best suits their needs.

The Legislature is about to move into its conference committee stage to negotiate final versions of various department omnibus bills. As always, voters beware!

Our legislature passed a law in 2023 allowing Medicare Advantage plan participants to switch to traditional Medicare with a supplement. The open enrollment window was also extended, and the law is supposed to go into effect next year.


But now, some legislators are trying to repeal that law, making it harder for Minnesotans to switch from a Medicare Advantage to a traditional Medicare/supplement option. The consequences for Medicare recipients with any pre-existing condition are worse: Supplemental insurance could be denied to anyone making the change outside their original enrollment window, typically around age 65.

Taking away this consumer choice will not improve the health of older Minnesotans and will make an already complex coverage system even more confusing. Minnesotans are fortunate to have a law on the books requiring guaranteed issue of a supplement when changing from an Advantage plan to traditional Medicare. Let the existing law go into effect!

Take Action

Write to your lawmaker today to protect your Medicare choices and ensure that all Minnesotans have access to the healthcare coverage they need. Your voice matters!