What Is PrimeWest Health?
PrimeWest Health is a County-Based Purchasing (CBP) health plan operated and governed by the 13 rural Minnesota counties we serve. The governing body of PrimeWest Health is called the Joint Powers Board (JPB). The JPB includes two county commissioners (one active and one alternate) from each PrimeWest Health county.
PrimeWest Health offers health coverage in two ways:
PrimeWest Health provides health coverage to county residents who qualify for Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP). We do this under contracts with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). We work closely with our counties' Social/Human/Family Services departments to enroll MHCP members in one of several State and/or Federally funded health programs. The programs we offer are as follows:
Prepaid Medical Assistance Program (PMAP)
For children under age 21, parents or relative caretakers of dependent children, and pregnant women who have Medical Assistance (Medicaid)
MinnesotaCare
For adults without children, parents or relative caretakers of dependent children, and children who are eligible for the State MinnesotaCare program. Members pay a monthly premium to the State.
For people age 65 or over who have Medical Assistance (Medicaid) and, if they have Medicare, have it through an insurer other than PrimeWest Health
Special Needs BasicCare (SNBC)
For people who have a certified disability, are ages 18 – 64, have Medical Assistance (Medicaid), and, if they have Medicare, have it through an insurer other than PrimeWest Health
PrimeWest Senior Health Complete (HMO SNP)
This is a Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO) program for people age 65 or over who choose to have their Medical Assistance (Medicaid) and Medicare integrated through PrimeWest Health
Prime Health Complete (HMO SNP)
This is a Special Needs BasicCare (SNBC) program for people who have a certified disability, are ages 18 – 64, and choose to have their Medical Assistance (Medicaid) and Medicare integrated through PrimeWest Health
PrimeWest Health provides coverage to employees of small businesses in rural Minnesota through our Values Health program. This program was designed to extend affordable, local health coverage to individuals who are employed at small businesses (0 – 50 employees) that don't offer health coverage.
Values Health is a "multi-share" model. This means that shares of the health coverage premium are collected from each of the following:
- The employee
- The employer
- The local community
- The State Health Access Program
Values Health is not insurance. It is a health coverage program administered by PrimeWest Health. Values Health operates under Minnesota legislation enacted to help working Minnesotans gain access to affordable health coverage.