Month: October 2021

The city of Crookston has been in search of a new Community Development Director, and last week the city announced the hiring of Robert Barnes Jr. to fill the role. Barnes is originally from Tennessee and moved to McIntosh, Minnesota, to be closer to family. He will commute from McIntosh and started this past Thursday, September 30.

City Administrator Amy Finch was a part of the hiring process and talked about what made Barnes stand out. “He has a strong background in economic development and has a history of working with public boards,” said Finch. “He had a good sense of humor, prepared well for the interview, and understands some of the challenges we’re dealing with. He wants to help develop and guide the department, and this role will be a good fit for him.”

As for Barnes, he talked about his background and what he loves about Community Development. “I started doing economic development back in Tennessee,” said Barnes. “It’s an opportunity to work with leaders, it’s an opportunity to work with a team, and it’s an opportunity to build communities which I enjoy. A community is no different than a person, you’re always trying to improve yourself, and likewise, a community is trying to work together to improve itself and work towards a common goal.”

Barnes talked about a few of his goals and ambitions he has for the city. “The goals are very simple; the first goal is to start building partnerships,” said Barnes. “I can’t build a road, I can’t run power, I can’t move one grain of dirt. However, this community has all the assets in place to accomplish everything we would want to and move in that direction as a team.”

Barnes will work for the city of Crookston as well as serving as the Executive Director of CHEDA and reporting to the CHEDA board.

Barnes discussed his role and making sure he maintains the vision his superiors have when it comes to the city of Crookston. “Crookston is a phenomenal community,” said Barnes. “The goal is to maintain the plan our leaders have and to maintain the friendliness this community has. For me, that’s making sure that I do my part in helping move the city forward.”

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The Minnesota Department of Commerce and MNsure released information today on 2022 health plan rates and options in advance of the open enrollment period, which begins November 1.

On average, Minnesota families will save $684 per year and will be able to access more health plan choices than previous years. More Minnesotans than ever before are eligible to receive tax credits to lower monthly premium costs through federal funding provided in the American Rescue Plan. Minnesotans who buy their own individual health insurance for 2022 will have access to hundreds of dollars in savings when choosing health plans via MNsure. Minnesotans will also be able to choose from more health plan options being offered through MNsure. 

“Most MNsure enrollees who qualify will see significant savings in 2022, making it the best year for consumers to take another look to see how much they can save,” said MNsure CEO Nate Clark. “Compared to last January, a family who purchases insurance through MNsure in 2022 will save an average of $684 a year on health insurance thanks to the American Rescue Plan.”

Some Minnesotans will see even bigger savings next year. For example, a family of four living in Rochester with an annual income of $110,000 can enroll in a MNsure gold plan and access benefits that would cut their premium nearly in half, saving them about $8,400 per year. In prior years, they would not have qualified for this discount. For examples in other geographic areas, see the scenario packet available from MNsure: https://mn.gov/mnsure-stat/assets/2022-mnsure-plan-premium-scenarios.pdf 

Individual and small group health plans will continue to offer choices for consumers. Every county in Minnesota will have at least two insurers offering individual market plans with the majority (all but seven counties) having three or more insurers. Additionally, every county will have at least 22 separate health insurance plan options available in the individual market. For 2022, five health insurance companies are returning to partner with MNsure to offer qualified health plans to Minnesotans: Blue Plus, HealthPartners, Medica, Quartz and UCare. Dental plans will also be available from Delta Dental and Dentegra. Overall, MNsure’s partners are offering 10 more plans in 2022 than in 2021. 

“Minnesota’s health insurance markets remain strong and stable, allowing Minnesota individuals, families and small businesses to choose a quality, affordable health insurance option that best works for them,” said Commerce Commissioner Grace Arnold.

The individual health plan market is for people who are not insured through employer-based coverage and are not eligible for Medicare or Medicaid. Currently, about 3% of Minnesotans (163,000 people) have individual health insurance plans, including 107,000 Minnesotans who are covered by health plans offered through MNsure. Income-eligible Minnesotans will be able to find a plan only through MNsure with monthly premiums that cost no more than 8.5% of their household income. To give Minnesotans additional time to shop and compare health plans, MNsure’s open enrollment will be extended three weeks, running from November 1, 2021, to January 15, 2022. 

The 2022 insurance rates for individual and small group health plans in Minnesota have been reviewed and approved by the Minnesota Department of Commerce through its annual review process.  

For small group health insurance plans, which serve employers with fewer than 50 full-time employees and cover about 4.1% of Minnesotans (235,000 people), the final average rate changes for 2022 range from 0.6% to 6.8%. For the individual health insurance plans, the final average rate changes for 2022 range from 4.3% to 11.3%.

The actual price a consumer will pay for health insurance can vary depending on factors such as where they live, what plan they choose and their age. When consumers purchase plans through MNsure, they may qualify for tax credits to help lower the cost of their insurance, with more Minnesotans qualifying than ever before. 

The state does not regulate self-insured health plans, which cover almost 40% of the state’s population. The largest percentage of Minnesotans get their coverage through their employers’ self-insured group coverage. Medicare covers almost 19% of Minnesotans and Medical Assistance also covers almost 19% of Minnesotans. About 4% of Minnesotans are uninsured. 

On behalf of Minnesota consumers, the Department of Commerce reviews health insurance rate proposals each year to make sure they meet actuarial standards and comply with state and federal consumer protection laws. The Minnesota Department of Health evaluates the plans for network adequacy, while MNsure operates the state’s health insurance marketplace where individuals and families can shop, compare and choose health insurance coverage, and receive tax credits if they qualify.

Final 2022 individual market and small group health insurance rates are posted at: mn.gov/commerce/consumers/your-insurance/health-insurance/ratesmn.gov/commerce/consumers/your-insurance/health-insurance/rates.

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The Rydell National Wildlife Refuge will be closed to the public during two special deer hunts that will be held on the Refuge in October of 2021. This closure also applies to archery deer hunters and small game hunters who intend to use the Refuge. The Accessible Deer Hunt is conducted in cooperation with the Options Interstate Resource Center for Independent Living and will take place Thursday, October 7 through Saturday, October 9. The Mentored Youth Deer Hunt is a cooperative effort with the Minnesota DNR for youth between the ages of 12 and 15. It will take place Saturday, October 23 and Sunday, October 24. Both of these hunts have a limited number of participants that were selected through a drawing, earlier in the year. Signs will be posted at Refuge entry points during both of these closures.

For more information on these closures or if you have questions, contact Gregg Knutsen, Refuge Manager, at 218-686-4329 or gregg_knutsen@fws.gov.

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