MNsure Offers Additional Assistance As Enrollment Deadline Approaches

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Governor Mark Dayton is proclaiming Wednesday "MNsure Enrollment Day."

The push is on to try to get 67,000 Minnesotans signed up for health insurance through MNsure by Sunday, Feb. 15.

MNsure's latest report said 47,000 Minnesotans had signed up.

In an effort to help get more Minnesotans signed up, Minnesota's Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith will visit the MNsure offices and call center Wednesday morning.

MNsure is also extending its hours this week to help as many people as possible. Phone lines will open up at 8 a.m. and stay open until 10 p.m. Then, on Saturday and Sunday they will stay open until midnight.

If you don't have health insurance, this is the first year you will face a tax penalty. The minimum fine is $95 a person and$47.50 for a child.

That tax penalty increases next year to $325 for an individual and $162 per child.

The fine then jumps again in 2016 to $695 per person and $347 per child.

On WCCO Sunday Morning, The CEO of MNsure talked about that fine for not signing up for health insurance by the end of the day this coming Sunday.

"That's the minimum, or its two percent of your income for 2015. So, either $325 per person or 2 percent of your income. So, if you think about it in terms of a person making $60,000, that's a $1,200 tax penalty and that is real money," CEO Scott Leitz said.

If you need help signing up or have questions, the MNsure hotline number is 1-855-366-7873.