MNsure uses outreach grants to reach uninsured minorities

MNsure, Minnesota's health insurance exchange, gave out $4 million in grants to community organizations to help with outreach, education and enrollment.

But the program came under fire last month when some criticized it for leaving out some minority groups, particularly African-Americans.

From MPR News:

None of the 30 organizations MNsure selected for the outreach grant primarily serves African-Americans, who are more than twice as likely as whites in Minnesota to lack health insurance.

Before MNsure's meeting got underway this afternoon, Gov. Mark Dayton called on the board to respond to the complaints.

"They certainly heard as they should from those who were rightfully indignant that they were excluded from the outreach funding," Dayton said. "I hope that the board will act with additional funds to remedy that, and I hope that they won't repeat that mistake again."

The board responded, voting unanimously to make up to $750,000 available for more outreach grants.

We'll speak with one of the grant recipients about how the grants will affect minorities and what else can be done for minority outreach.