State Partnering With Private Health Plans To Improve Vaccine Equity

The state of Minnesota is partnering with private health plans in an effort to give more Minnesotans the opportunity to get vaccinated.

According to state officials, the departments of health and human services are working with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, HealthPartners, Hennepin Health, Itasca Medical Care, Medica, PreferredOne, PrimeWest Health, South Country Health Alliance, and UCare.

The health plans will be working with the state to contact members and provide them with information on vaccination and help in scheduling appointments for vaccination. There will also be help with transportation and other services.

The partnership is being called an effort to address equity in vaccinations, as communities of color are believed to be hardest hit by the virus, but have less access to the vaccine.

Those who are enrolled in Minnesota health care programs, like Medical Assistance and Minnesota Care, should expect to have someone reach out to them. The effort will also focus on those who live in the most socially-vulnerable ZIP codes.

Meanwhile, the state’s latest positivity and hospitalization rate have been decreasing, but community spread remains a concern.

Nearly 5 million vaccine doses have been administered in the state. Nearly 90 percent of those ages 65 and up have received at least one vaccine dose; 62% of those 16 and up have also received at least one dose.

The state is still strongly encouraging those who haven’t been vaccinated, and are eligible, to get a vaccine to not only protect themselves, but their community.