MN Community Measurement Releases Latest Report on Health Care Disparities by Insurance Type

April 18, 2024

Disparities continue for individuals enrolled in Minnesota Health Care Programs

ROSEVILLE – APRIL 18, 2024

MN Community Measurement (MNCM) has released its newest report shedding light on health care disparities in Minnesota. The report, titled “Minnesota Health Care Disparities by Insurance Type,” is produced in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), and focuses on care delivered in 2022. The report compares health care quality and outcomes for people who received health insurance coverage through Minnesota Health Care Programs managed care (MHCP) and people with private health insurance or Medicare Advantage plans. This year’s report underscores ongoing challenges and highlights opportunities for improvement in health care access and quality. Key findings include:

  • Overall Gaps: Patients with MHCP insurance are falling behind those with other insurance types in almost every area measured. The biggest gap is in the Childhood Immunization Status measure.
  • Childhood Immunizations: The completion rate of recommended vaccinations by age 2 for children with MHCP insurance dropped by 6.1%. This decrease matches what has been seen statewide. Experts believe fewer flu shots in recent years are a big reason.
  • Racial Disparities: Black and Indigenous/Native MHCP patients still face lower rates than the overall MHCP group in many areas.
  • Trends: Since 2018, gaps have narrowed for the Optimal Asthma Control measure for adults and children, and for the Adolescent Mental Health and/or Depression Screening measure. During the same period, gaps have widened for the following measures: Breast Cancer Screening, Childhood Immunization Status (Combo 10), Colorectal Cancer Screening, and Controlling High Blood Pressure.

“In Minnesota, we are fortunate to have data available that can pinpoint where disparities exist for people with health coverage through state programs. We are grateful for the partnership with DHS that allows us to bring these disparities to light – but we know it can’t stop there,” said Liz Cinqueonce, President of MN Community Measurement. “With the release of this latest report, we hope to spark community level conversations that can provide insights on the specific challenges and barriers that are root causes for what we are seeing in the data – and ultimately lead to new strategies that are both data- and community-informed to make meaningful progress in closing these gaps.”

In response to the findings, DHS Commissioner Jodi Harpstead remarked:  “As Minnesota strives to address disparities in quality of care through our managed care public health insurance programs, this report shows there is still much work to be done. We remain strongly committed to engaging communities that are experiencing health disparities. We aim to break down persistent barriers and close these unconscionable gaps in quality of care and health outcomes.”

For more information and to access the full report, click here.

About MN Community Measurement

MN Community Measurement is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering health care decision makers with meaningful data to drive improvement. A trusted source of health care data since 2005, MNCM works with doctors, hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, and state agencies to collect, analyze, and report health care data related to quality, cost, and equity of health care. Learn more at www.mncm.org.

About MN Department of Human Services

The MN Department of Human Services (MN DHS) is the state Medical Assistance (Medicaid) agency responsible for purchasing health care services for approximately 1.4 million Minnesotans, about 25% of the state’s population. Most Minnesotans enrolled in Medicaid receive services through the state’s contracted managed care organizations. Minnesota Medicaid plays a critical role in ensuring access to high quality care for vulnerable populations including children, persons with disabilities, and seniors. DHS’s mission is, working with others, to help people meet their basic needs so they can live in dignity and achieve their highest potential.


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October 20, 2026
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — October 20, 2026 — MN Community Measurement (MNCM) today announced that it has completed its acquisition of Koble-MN's health information exchange (HIE) business line and the MNSHINE brand from The Koble Group. On November 1, MNCM will officially change its legal name to Minnesota Statewide Health Information Network and Exchange, known as MNSHINE. The transition follows a special joint meeting of MNCM's Board of Directors and members on October 12, at which the Board unanimously approved resolutions authorizing the acquisition, changing the organization's legal name, and establishing a new HIE Advisory Committee. Members unanimously adopted the name change and related amendments to the organization's Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. An intentional decision to collaborate The transition is the result of an intentional decision by Minnesota health care leaders to collaborate on a health data landscape that makes sense: one that reduces redundancy, increases efficiency, and delivers needed information to those with legal authorization to receive it, where and when it is needed, without unnecessary administrative barriers. "This is not simply a merger of services. It is a deliberate choice to build the kind of health data infrastructure Minnesota deserves," said Liz Cinqueonce, President and CEO of MNCM. "For too long, organizations across our state have had to navigate duplicative systems and disconnected data. By bringing measurement and exchange together, we can reduce that burden and make sure the right information reaches the right people at the right time, with patient privacy protections firmly in place, so they can focus on improving care." The effort builds on months of work by the Executive Leadership Council, convened earlier this year by MNCM, the Minnesota Electronic Health Records Consortium, and Koble to explore how a sustainable, statewide health data utility could serve the public interest. "Minnesota is at its best when we take on difficult challenges together and align on solutions," said Mark Steffen, MD, Chair of the MNCM Board of Directors. "The Board's unanimous support reflects a shared conviction that our future depends on organizations keeping their unique strengths and missions while participating in shared infrastructure and governance. That balance is what enables greater coordination, transparency, efficiency, and impact." A trusted backbone for Minnesota's health data Minnesota's future health data ecosystem is one in which organizations retain their unique strengths and missions while participating in shared infrastructure and governance. The vision for MNSHINE is to become the health data utility, governed in the public interest with strong privacy protections and transparency, that serves as the trusted backbone connecting these efforts, ensuring data can be used more effectively to improve health, wellbeing, and outcomes for all Minnesotans. By bringing the measurement of health care quality, cost, and utilization together with the infrastructure that moves clinical data between organizations, MNSHINE will be positioned to support providers, payers, public health, researchers, policymakers, and communities alike, each within the limits of applicable law and participant agreements. The goal is healthier people, stronger communities, greater equity, better public decisions, smarter investments, and a health system that learns continuously. Continuity for HIE participants HIE services will continue without interruption. To ensure continuity of leadership and relationships, Chad Peterson, CEO of The Koble Group, has joined MNCM as Senior Vice President of HIE Services. “For HIE participants, this transition opens new possibilities,” said Peterson. “When exchange and measurement are guided by one mission, we can reduce duplication for providers and better support care coordination, while holding firm to the privacy protections patients expect. I’m proud to help lead that work, and I’m committed to making sure every participant feels supported as we grow.” MNCM has also established the HIE Advisory Committee as a standing committee of its Board of Directors. The committee continues the work of the Koble-MN Advisory Committee and will advise the Board on interoperability, participant relationships, privacy, security, data governance, and health equity. Jennifer Lamprecht of Sanford Health and Dr. Justine Mrosak of Hennepin Healthcare have been appointed to co-chair the committee, which will include consumer representatives alongside members representing a cross-section of Minnesota's health care community. Protecting patient privacy This transition changes who operates Minnesota's health information exchange. It does not change how patient information is protected or who may access it. MNSHINE will continue to operate in compliance with HIPAA and the Minnesota Health Records Act, which is among the strongest patient-consent laws in the nation, and in compliance with the participant agreements that govern how information is exchanged. Health information exchange and measurement will each remain governed by their own legal and contractual requirements, and bringing them into one organization does not change the purposes for which patient information may be used.
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