State reports number of uninsured Minnesotans is on the rise

Minnesota’s uninsured rate among residents increased by 2 percentage points in the last two years, according to the latest data from the state's Department of Health.

Results from a survey released Tuesday, March 10, found that about 116,000 more Minnesotans lack health insurance in 2025 compared to 2023, when the rate was at a historic low of 3.8%.

"The sharp increase in uninsured Minnesotans over the past two years is deeply disturbing, as are the long-standing disparities in the uninsured rate by race, ethnicity and income that continue to persist,” stated Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham in a news release.

“For most people, health care is unaffordable without insurance. This results in delayed or deferred care and worse health outcomes, more medical debt for families, and increased rates of uncompensated care for health systems."

The increase appears to be driven by a decrease in public coverage, which dropped by nearly 5 percentage points: from 44.1% to 39.6%. People in Minnesota with lower incomes are more than twice as likely to lack health insurance, with 13% of people with low incomes being uninsured in 2025.

“Insurance coverage isn’t just important for physical and mental health, it’s key to financial health, too,” stated Lacey Hartman, who leads the survey at the State Health Access Data Assistance Center. “Getting sick or injured when you are uninsured can have terrible consequences for a family’s finances.”

Long-standing disparities in the state’s uninsurance rate by race and ethnicity are also reflected in the data, the news release stated. American Indians saw uninsured rates increase nearly 5 percentage points, and nearly 20% of the state’s Hispanic residents are uninsured.

Minnesotans are also growing increasingly concerned over losing their health insurance, with more than 12% of insured Minnesotans reporting in 2025 that they were worried about losing their healthcare coverage, a nearly 5 point increase from 2023.

“One of the prominent data points from the latest Minnesota Health Access Survey shows that Minnesotans have increasing affordability concerns about health insurance coverage,” stated Stefan Gildemeister, state health economist and director of MDH’s Health Economics Program.

“This is a kitchen-table issue for state residents already struggling with daily expenses and now looking at having to pay for care directly or delay and forego care. It’s also a significant concern for health care systems, which are increasingly facing financial headwinds.”

The Minnesota Health Access Survey is conducted every other year, and received 16,000 responses.