Health Economics Program

The Health Economics Program conducts research and applied policy analysis to monitor changes in the health care marketplace; to understand factors influencing health care cost, quality and access; and to provide technical assistance in the development of state health care policy. The information is used to inform policy makers, consumers, and other stakeholders in Minnesota's health care system.

The Health Economics Program produces a variety of reports, papers, issue briefs, and presentations, covering topics such as health care costs and spending, the uninsured, private market insurance trends, and hospital and other health care provider trends. It also publishes an online Minnesota Health Care Markets Chartbook with up-to-date data and statistics on health care cost, health insurance, health plans, and health care providers.

Data Reporting Requirements

New Publications

Subscribe to Health Economics Publications

Private Health Insurance Cost Trends in Minnesota, 2007 (PDF:98 KB/4 pages)
This issue brief examines private health insurance premium and cost trends in Minnesota for 2007 and earlier years. In 2007, health insurance premiums per enrollee grew by 8.4 percent, while enrollee out of pocket spending and health plan costs per enrollee grew by 13.8 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively." (September, 2008)

Health Insurance Coverage in Minnesota, Results for 2007 (PDF:110 KB/6 pages)
This fact sheet presents findings from the 2007 MN Health Access Survey. These results update the preliminary fact sheet published in January, 2008. (April, 2008)

MN Hospital Public Interest Review: Proposal for a Specialty Psychiatric Hospital in Woodbury (PDF: 2.88MB/81 pages) This report to the Legislature presents the results of MDH's review of a proposal to contruct a specialty psychiatric hospital in Woodbury. (February, 2008)

Health Insurance Exchange Study (PDF:135 KB/15 pages)
This report to the Legislature examines the possibility of establishing a health insurance exchange that would provide individuals with greater access, choice, portability, and affordability of health insurance products. (February, 2008)

• Mathematica Final Report: Health Insurance Exchange Study (PDF:482 KB/136 pages) (March, 2008)
  
• Focus Groups with Employers and Insurance Brokers (PDF:216 KB/56 pages) (March, 2008)
  

Administrative Costs at Minnesota Health Plans in 2006 (PDF:708 KB/52 pages)
This report contains information about administrative costs reported by health plan companies (group purchasers)
doing business in Minnesota during 2006. (January, 2008)

Distribution of Health Insurance Coverage in Minnesota, 2005 (PDF:358 KB/3 pages)
This issue brief describes the distribution of coverage for 2005 and analyzes some of the recent trends. (February, 2008)

Minnesota Health Care Spending in 2005 (PDF:345 KB/4 pages)
This issue brief provides detailed estimates for 2005 health care spending in Minnesota, with analysis of recent trends and comparisons to the national average. (Published: 12/2007) (December, 2007)

Trends in Minnesota Hospital Quality (PDF:355 KB/4 pages)
This issue brief summarizes the trends in Minnesota hospital performance on available measures for the most recent two full years of data available - referred to as year one (July 2004-June 2005) and year two (July 2005-June 2006). (December, 2007)

Health Insurance Premiums and Cost Drivers in Minnesota, 2006 (PDF:105 KB/4 pages)
This issue brief updates the Health Economics Program's annual analysis of private health insurance market premium trends, and the factors driving increases in health care costs. (October, 2007)

Factors and Incentives Driving Investment in Medical Facilities (PDF:1 MB/48 pages)
Investment in medical facilities is an issue of concern in Minnesota and nationally because of its impact on the cost of, access to, and quality of health care services. This report to the Legislature describes current state regulation of investment in medical facilities, the factors that influence medical facility investment, and currently available data on system capacity and trends. It presents findings and recommendations for changes in state policy related to medical facility investment. (February, 2007)

Minnesota Hospitals: Uncompensated Care, Community Benefits, and the Value of Tax Exemptions (PDF: 813 KB/66 pages)
This report to the Minnesota legislature analyzes data on uncompensated care, community benefits, and the value of tax exemptions at Minnesota hospitals. It makes recommendations about the need for more uniform charity care and debt collection policies, and the need for uniform reporting of nonprofit hospitals' community benefits. (January, 2007)

More publications>>

To view the PDF files, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download from Adobe's Web site).