Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD) premiums

People with disabilities who work may get health care coverage under a program called Medical Assistance (MA) for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD). MA-EPD may also reimburse the cost of Medicare Part B premiums for people with income below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines (FPG). People with income or assets above the MA limits may qualify for MA-EPD.

People must pay a premium for MA-EPD coverage.

How do I know how much my MA-EPD premium is?

Your worker will calculate your premium. You must pay 0.5 percent (half of 1 percent) of your unearned income (Social Security and other). You will get an invoice telling you how much you owe. People who are American Indian or Alaskan Native and have verified their status, are exempt from paying an MA-EPD premium. The minimum premium is $35 per month.

Your first premium invoice may be for more than one month of coverage. Pay the total amount of your first premium invoice. After you pay the first premium invoice and it has been applied to your account, you will get an invoice each month from the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS).
Can my MA-EPD coverage start before I pay my premium?
How do I pay my MA-EPD premium?
Your first premium must be paid to your county or tribal office.
- You may be able to pay your first premium in person if your county or tribal office is open to the public during the federal COVID-19 peacetime emergency. Check with your county or tribal office to see if they are still open to the public.
- If your county or tribal office is not open to the public during the federal COVID-19 PHE, you can pay your first premium by mail. You should get a self-addressed envelope with your first premium invoice. If you do not have the envelope, contact your worker for the mailing address.
After your first premium is paid, you will get a monthly invoice from DHS. Invoices are mailed on the fourth day of each month. Payment is due by the fourth day of the next month for coverage the following month.

Example: The premium on the invoice mailed August 4 is due September 4 for October coverage.

You can pay your ongoing monthly premiums:
- Online at https://payments.dhs.state.mn.us
  After you have paid your initial premium to your county or tribal office, you can start paying your monthly premium online by checking account withdrawal or credit or debit card. You can make a one-time payment or set up automatic monthly payments by creating an online account. You will need your customer number located on your monthly premium invoice.
  
  If you have a recurring payment setup and your bank information or premium amount changes, you must end the current automatic recurring payment and set up a new automatic recurring payment. If this is not done, payments will continue to be taken out with the wrong premium amount or account, which will cause you to have a balance due or a credit on your account. Incorrect bank information may result in the payment showing as a non-sufficient fund transaction.
  
  If your MA-EPD eligibility ends, you must end the current automatic recurring payment.
- By mail
  Be sure to allow enough time for your premium to arrive by the due date. Do not mail cash. Send your check or money order, referencing your customer number found on your invoice bill, and include the stub from your premium invoice to:
  Department of Human Services: MA-EPD
  P.O. Box 64835
  St. Paul, MN 55164-0835
- In Person
  You can pay in person by bringing your MA-EPD invoice to the Minnesota Department of Human Services Elmer L. Andersen building located at 540 Cedar Street in St Paul, MN. Only cash, checks and money orders are accepted. If payment is made in cash, the exact amount is required. The cashier does not give change. Cashier hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (excluding holidays).
  
  Currently, the Minnesota Department of Human Services Elmer L. Andersen building is not open to the public.
What if I cannot pay my premium?

If you do not pay your first premium, your coverage will not start. If your coverage has started and you do not pay a premium, your coverage will end.

If you have an event that is out of your control and affects your ability to pay your premium, you can request to not pay your premium. This request is called a good cause request. You cannot request good cause for your first premium.
How do I claim good cause for a late payment?
Questions?
- Billing questions: Call the DHS Health Care Billing line at 651-431-3205 or 800-657-3762
- Program eligibility related questions: Call your case manager, county or tribal worker
- TTY: Use your preferred relay service