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

May 23, 2025

Persistant gaps highlight need for targeted action to address disparities for individuals enrolled in Minnesota Health Care Programs

MN Community Measurement (MNCM), in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), has released its latest report examining health care disparities across insurance types in Minnesota. The new report,  Minnesota Health Care Disparities by Insurance Type  , focuses on care delivered in 2023 and compares health care quality and outcomes between Minnesotans covered through state programs (Minnesota Health Care Programs Managed Care, or MHCP MCO) and those with private or Medicare Advantage insurance. 

The data continues to show significant disparities in health care quality and outcomes, especially among patients enrolled in public insurance programs. While there were modest gains in some areas, gaps in care persist or have worsened across many key health indicators.

Key findings from the 2023 measurement year include:

  • Widening Gaps: MHCP patients had lower rates across all quality measures when compared to privately insured populations. The largest disparity was in Childhood Immunization Status, where there was nearly a 28-point gap between MHCP and other purchasers.
  • Improvements and Stability: There were modest improvements in Colorectal Cancer Screening, Optimal Diabetes Care, and Adolescent Mental Health Screening. However, several other measures including Breast Cancer Screening, Controlling High Blood Pressure, Optimal Vascular Care, Depression Remission at Six Months, and Optimal Asthma Control showed no significant progress.
  • Notable Declines: Childhood Immunizations declined nearly five percentage points from 2022 for MHCP populations, mirroring a broader statewide trend.
  • Persistent Racial and Ethnic Disparities: Patients who are Black, Indigenous/Native, and Hispanic/Latinx continue to face disproportionately lower rates of screening, chronic disease management, and preventive care. Notably, Black and Indigenous/Native patients fell below the statewide MHCP average in over 60% of measures.

“The persistent disparities in outcomes for Minnesotans enrolled in public insurance programs are alarming,” said Liz Cinqueonce, President & CEO of MN Community Measurement. “Closing these gaps requires more than just data. It demands meaningful collaboration across all sectors. By working together—providers, health plans, policymakers, employers, and community-based organizations—we can identify solutions and drive sustainable improvements to ensure that all Minnesotans have access to equitable, high-quality care.”


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 community partners including doctors, 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. 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