North Dakota Individual and Family Health Insurance

Search for affordable North Dakota individual health insurance plans throughout the state, including the metropolitan areas of Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot, Mandan, Dickinson, Jamestown, West Fargo, Williston, and Wahpeton.

The State of Affairs of North Dakota’s Health Insurance

North Dakota spent $3.7 billion in 2004 on healthcare expenses, with the largest expenditure allocated towards physician, professional, and hospitalization services.  North Dakotans face health care costs that increase 6% annually – making affordable North Dakota individual health insurance critical. 

The Peace Garden State has over 612,000 residents.  21% of North Dakotans have Medicaid and/or Medicare coverage. And about 56% or 343,000 have small business health insurance coverage through their work, paying an average premium of $682 for individual health insurance and $3,018 for family health insurance plans.

These premiums, in the face of the economic crisis, will soon become unaffordable.  Where can the people of North Dakota find affordable health insurance coverage?  The answer can be found with InsureMonkey, your health insurance agent.

North Dakota Health Insurance Providers

North Dakota’s High Risk Pool

In North Dakota, a high-risk pool program was created in 1982 to help residents who have a history of medical problems obtain individual health insurance coverage. These residents have been denied by various North Dakota insurance providers, but are unable to qualify for other healthcare programs from the state government.

The high-risk pool in North Dakota is called the CHAND or the Comprehensive Health Association of North Dakota. It has served more than 2,000 North Dakota residents, and it provides services through the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota.

To apply for health insurance coverage and to understand more about the high-risk pool program of North Dakota, call the toll-free number 1-800-737-0016 or visit the website at http://www.chand.org/.

North Dakota’s Uninsured

The Urban Institute and the Kaiser Commission conducted a survey in 2006 – 2007 that found the total uninsured population in North Dakota is more than 63,000. About 21% of this uninsured population, or 14,000, are uninsured children. This translates to one uninsured child for every six children!

Ironically, most uninsured children come from working families who technically should have obtained coverage through their employers. But such coverage is either unavailable or unaffordable. The unavailability or prohibitive costs of North Dakota health insurance through employment should not prevent a family from providing healthcare coverage for their children.

To meet the challenge of finding affordable North Dakota health insurance plans, InsureMonkey. With all of our efforts, hopefully the number of North Dakota’s uninsured can be reduced.

North Dakota SCHIP

Healthy Steps is North Dakota’s SCHIP-funded low-cost health insurance plan for uninsured children who cannot meet Medicadi’s eligibility, but nonetheless need assistance to shoulder the costs of their healthcare needs.

Eligibility for Healthy Steps must meet income requirements.  A child’s parents must earn an income that is below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009 – translating to an annual income of $26,400.

To apply or to get more information, please contact the Covering Kids and Families toll-free Help Line at 1-877-543-7669 or visit the website at http://www.nd.gov/dhs/services/medicalserv/chip/. For email inquiries, send a message to jedison@nd.gov. Application forms can be obtained by calling 1-877-543-7669, by downloading from the website or by visiting the local County Social Service office. Once the application form is completed, it must be sent to this address:

Department 325,
600 E. Boulevard Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58505-0250

Medicaid in North Dakota

Like most Medicaid programs in other states, the State government and the Federal government share the funding for Medicaid in North Dakota. The percentages may change every year, but North Dakota’s Medicaid receives a federal funding match of about 67 percent.

The current Medicaid Program in North Dakota retains the original goals and objectives of Medicaid when it was established in 1966. The primary goal is to provide quality medical services to residents whose income and resources do not meet the reality of medical costs. 

Medical services are not limited to hospital care. They also include services that support the elderly, the blind, the disabled, and the caretaker relatives of children up to the age of 21. Pregnant women, low-income families, and residents 21 years and younger may also receive Medicaid coverage if they meet the income eligibility requirements.

•    Children
      o    Infants Ages 0-1:  $23,408 or 133% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009
      o    Children Ages 1-5:  $23,408 or 133% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009
      o    Children Ages 6-19:  $17,600 or 100% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009
•    Parents
      o    Non-Working:  $7,992 or 45% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009
      o    Working:  $10,848 or 62% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009
•    Women
      o    Pregnant women: $23,408 or 133% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009

To apply for Medicaid coverage in North Dakota, an application form must be completed first. This application form can be obtained by visiting in person the nearest county social service office or by calling or writing the said local office to request a mailed application form. Application forms are also available at some hospitals in North Dakota. Finally, an electronic version of the form is at the Department of Human Services official website at http://www.nd.gov/dhs/services/medicalserv/medicaid/apply.html.

(Facts throughout this page provided by the Kaiser Family Foundation at www.statehealthfacts.org and by The New Health Insurance Solution at www.tnhis.com.  Commentary provided by InsureMonkey.)

State Resources

Medical Services Division
North Dakota Department of Human Services
Website: http://www.nd.gov/dhs/services/medicalserv/medicaid/
Phones: 1-800-755-2604 and 701-328-2321
Email: dhsmed@nd.gov

Department of Health
Website: http://www.ndhealth.gov/
Phone: 701-328-2372

North Dakota Insurance Department
Website: http://www.nd.gov/ndins/
Phone: 701-328-2440 or 800-247-0560

Department of Human Services
Website: http://www.nd.gov/dhs/
Phone: 701-328-2310

Governor's Office
Website: http://www.governor.state.nd.us/
Phone: 701-328-2200