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Click on a question to be directed to the answer. If your question isn't answered on this page, please click on Contact Us and send an
email message to the appropriate Portico Healthnet staff member.
How is the Portico Healthnet health care program different from health insurance?
Portico Healthnet is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We are not health insurance or an HMO. We offer access to a variety of health care
services to help individuals and families stay healthy. In addition to paying for participants' clinic visits, prescriptions, and other
health services, the program offers care coordination and patient advocacy services. Portico Healthnet does not charge premiums to pay for
health services. Our participants pay a $25 monthly household fee that is used to fund preventive health education programs, household
safety equipment, and other nonmedical services.
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What is the difference between Portico Healthnet and community clinics?
Portico Healthnet and community clinics both work to ensure that families connect to the health care services
they need to stay healthy.
One difference is that Portico does not own or operate any clinics. We contract with private and community clinics to offer participants a choice
of primary care service providers.
Portico also provides personalized care management services to participants. Care managers refer participants to other organizations that can help
with issues that go beyond health-related needs, such as child care referrals, job training, and other support services.
Portico contracts with three community clinics as well as eighteen primary care clinics.
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How does Portico Healthnet differ from MinnesotaCare?
Portico and MinnesotaCare both offer affordable access to health care for people without insurance. However, MinnesotaCare
is a state-funded health care program with more comprehensive coverage than the Portico program offers. Click on Health Care
Options to see some of the eligibility and coverage differences.
Portico staff members are trained to assist people with applying to MinnesotaCare and Medical Assistance. For assistance in
applying to these programs call (651) 603-5100.
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If participant fees aren't used to cover medical costs, how is the Portico Healthnet program funded?
Portico Healthnet receives funding from hospitals, foundations, corporations, individuals, the St. Paul / Ramsey County Children's Initiative, and the
Minnesota Department of Human Services. The hospital funding, Children's Initiative grant, and individual gifts are used primarily to cover the cost of
participants' medical expenses. Other grants are used to support program operations, outreach, and direct services.
Click on Partner's Consortium for
more information on our partner organizations.
Click on How You Can Help to learn how you can help Portico Healthnet reach its goal to serve more people in need.
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How many people in our community are uninsured?
Minnesota is a leader in providing its residents with access to public health care programs. Surprisingly, there are still approximately 266,000 people
in Minnesota without health insurance. Of those, 58,000 are children. There are approximately 35,000 people without health insurance in Ramsey County alone.
Nationwide, about 42 million people don't have health insurance.
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If Minnesota offers some of the best health care options in the country; why are there still
so many people who are uninsured?
Most people without insurance have jobs. However, they either work for employers that do not offer coverage, or the coverage offered is too costly.
Many people without health insurance also have low incomes. Even though MinnesotaCare offers a sliding fee premium, some families with children find the premiums
too expensive; some may be as high as $575 per month.
Some people do not qualify for publicly sponsored health programs because they own their own business or own property in addition to the property that they live on
(assets which affect their eligibility).
Although Minnesota offers a number of wonderful health coverage options for families with lower incomes, these options don't always work for everyone. That's where
Portico can help. Our eligibility requirements are less restrictive, so we can offer people access to health care until they are in a better situation to purchase health
insurance or until they qualify for a different program.
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Who are the Portico Healthnet participants?
Please click on Annual Report for the most recent information on participant demographics.
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Why did Portico Healthnet change its name?
On October 1, 2003, MetroEast Program for Health changed its name to Portico Healthnet.
Board members and staff chose the name Portico Healthnet because the organization wanted an identity that did not limit it to
a specific geographic region and better reflects what the program is. Portico Healthnet was a good option, "Portico" means
entryway and "Healthnet" suggests a health care safety net. Together, these words reflect the organization's work to offer
people without health coverage entry into an interim health care safety net program.
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