February 2011

Minnesota receives a $1 million planning grant from the federal government to fund the initial stages of planning a health insurance exchange.

June 2011

A Request for Proposals was issued for prototypes to evaluate technical options and costs for an Exchange. The RFP is a two-stage “proof of concept” approach.

August 2011

Minnesota receives a $4.2 million grant to advance planning to the design and development stage.

September 2011

A Health Exchange Advisory Task Force is assembled to advise on the design and development of a Minnesota-made health insurance exchange. The members represent a balance of interests including consumers, employers, labor, health care providers, health insurers, Medicaid, agents and those with experience navigating health plan enrollment, and experts in public and private health care markets and public health improvement.

October 2011

Governor Mark Dayton signed Executive Order 11-30 to create a Minnesota-Made Insurance Exchange. The exchange is being developed with assistance from the Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange Advisory Task Force, and by a partnership of state agencies that include the Minnesota Department of Commerce, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Management and Budget and MN.IT Services.

Stage II vendors for the IT RFP are selected and awarded stipends to create prototypes and detailed cost, work plan and timeline proposals.

November 2011

Technical Work Groups are formed to develop, discuss, and provide technical assistance on options to the Commerce Commissioner and the Health Insurance Exchange Advisory Task Force. The four initial groups are: Governance; Finance; Adverse Selection and Encouraging Market Competition/Value; and Navigators and Agents/Brokers.

December 2011

Sample modules from vendors seeking to build the IT infrastructure for the exchange are made available to the public. Feedback is documented and used in the evaluation assessment of the vendor’s proposal.

January 2012

The Advisory Task Force votes for recommendations that should be the basis for the development of a Minnesota-made health insurance exchange. Legislation based on the recommendations is introduced in the 2012 session by Representative Atkins and Senator Lourey.

February 2012

Minnesota receives a $23 million grant for the design and development of the exchange.

Additional Technical Work Groups are initiated. They are: Individual Eligibility; IT and Operations; Measurement and Reporting; Outreach, Communications and Marketing; Plan Certification; and Small Employers and Employees.

May 2012

Minnesota meets with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for a design review to assess progress on IT and operational functions of an exchange.

July 2012

Minnesota enters into a $41 million dollar contract with MAXIMUS, Inc. to design and develop the technical capabilities, including a consumer-friendly website, for the health insurance exchange and Medicaid modernization.

A market research project to inform public education and outreach efforts is completed and a report is presented to the Advisory Task Force and the Health Care Reform Task Force.

October 2012

Minnesota receives a $42.5 million grant to advance development of the exchange.

November 2012

Blueprint certification application submitted to federal government.

December 2012

Minnesota receives conditional approval to open a Minnesota health insurance exchange.

January 2013

Minnesota receives a $39.3 million grant to continue development of the exchange marketplace.

March 2013

State-based exchange authority signed into law

MNsure name & logo unveiled

April 2013

In-Person Assister & Navigator program finalized

May 2013

Public education & outreach campaign begins

Filing of health insurance plans with Commerce & MDH begins

Summer 2013

System usability testing

Plan review complete

Assistance Network training

MNsure at MN State Fair

September 2013

Call Center opens

October 1, 2013

Start date for consumer and small employer enrollment.

January 1, 2014

Plan coverage begins.