The Minnesota Health Access Survey is a large-scale population survey that studies how Minnesotans access health insurance and health care services. Results from the survey inform policy that can help improve access to health care and health insurance for all Minnesotans.

The survey is conducted every two years in partnership by the Minnesota Department of Health and the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC). Minnesotans from more than 15,000 households participated in the 2023 study.

Participants of the 2023 MNHA had the opportunity to join an ongoing panel, Minnesota Voices on Health. Survey opportunities for the panelists will be presented throughout the year, with the first in March/April 2024.

Results from the 2023 survey can be found in the Findings from the 2023 Minnesota Health Access Survey (MNHA) (PDF).

Throughout the year, HEP anticipates publishing additional materials with information from the survey that may be of interest; they are listed at the bottom of this page. Finally, individuals may use the Minnesota Health Access Survey Interactive Data Tool, to directly view and use the data.

A detailed methodology for the Minnesota Health Access Survey 2022 (PDF) is also available.

Recent publications that use data from the Minnesota Health Access Survey

Findings from the 2023 Minnesota Health Access Survey (MNHA) (PDF) April 2024

2021 Minnesota Health Access Survey Key Findings (PDF) April 2022

Rural Health Care in Minnesota: Data Highlights (chartbook) (PDF) November 2021

Health Insurance Coverage Remained Steady Almost a Year into the Pandemic (PDF) May 2021

Pandemic’s Impact on Health Insurance Coverage in Minnesota was Modest by Summer 2020: (PDF) February 2021

Unhealthy Days: A Data Short Take (PDF) May 2019

Minnesota's Changing Health Insurance Landscape: Results from the 2017 Minnesota Health Access Survey (PDF) February 2018

Minnesota's Uninsured in 2017: Rates and Characteristics (PDF) February 2018

Use the Data! Go to the Minnesota Health Access Survey Interactive Data Tool.

How do you measure “uninsurance?”

There are three ways to classify uninsurance. The first, and most common, is "point-in-time" uninsurance. This measure counts only those who do not currently have health insurance, or are "uninsured" at the time of the survey in the uninsurance rate. This is the measure most often reported, and unless otherwise specified, this is the measure used in our interactive data tool and in presentations.

The second way to measure uninsurance is "part-year" or "at some point during the year." In this measure, anyone who has been uninsured at any point in the past 12 months is counted as uninsured. This estimate is usually two to three percentage points higher than the point-in-time estimate, because it includes people who have insurance now, but at some point in the past year were uninsured.

Finally, we measure "full-year" uninsurance, people who had no health insurance for the past 12 months. This estimate tends to be two to three percentage points lower than the point-in-time estimate.

Which measure of uninsurance is used in the estimates?

Unless otherwise specified, the estimates of health insurance coverage and uninsurance are for the time of the interview (point-in-time estimates). Alternative measures of uninsurance (full-year, part-year or some point during the year) are also available and can be viewed in the interactive data tool by choosing "uninsurance rates" and then selecting the sub-category "alternative measures of uninsurance".

How does the Minnesota Health Access Survey compare to other sources of information on health insurance, such as the American Community Survey or Current Population Survey?

The Minnesota Health Access Survey was designed to develop representative estimates of health insurance for the state as a whole, as well as for 13 geographic regions and major race and ethnic groups within the state. Results from this survey have enabled the state to identify disparities in health insurance by race/ethnicity and geographic region, and to understand the factors influencing trends in health insurance coverage in Minnesota — information that is not available from any other source.

Like most state-specific surveys, estimates of uninsurance from the Minnesota Health Access Survey are lower than estimates for Minnesota from national surveys such as the Current Population Survey (CPS) and American Community Survey (ACS). Because of differences in survey methodology, estimates from the Minnesota Health Access Survey should not be directly compared to other sources of data on health insurance, such as the CPS, ACS or other states’ health insurance surveys.

Use the Data! Go to the Minnesota Health Access Survey Interactive Data Tool.

Still have questions? health.mnha@state.mn.us or call 651-201-4520.