MinnAssist is not MNsure or DHS. We help people apply for and keep coverage, for free.
WORDS EXPLAINED
Minnesota health care words, explained
The words on your DHS and county letters, in plain language. Still confused by a letter? Call MinnAssist at (866) 655-6606.
MHCP · MA · Fee for service · Health plan · Evidence of Coverage (EOC) · Copay · Cost sharing · Family deductible · Spenddown · Prior authorization · Medically necessary · Notice of action · Appeal · Open-access services · Preventive services · Primary care provider · C&TC (Child and Teen Checkups) · PCA · Durable medical equipment · HCCS
- MHCP
- Minnesota Health Care Programs. MHCP includes MinnesotaCare and all Medical Assistance programs.
- MA
- Medical Assistance, Minnesota's Medicaid program.
- Fee for service
- A way of paying for care: the provider bills MHCP directly. This is used when you are eligible for MHCP but are not enrolled in a prepaid health plan.
- Health plan
- A company that provides your MHCP services. Health plan members get an evidence of coverage from their plan.
- Evidence of Coverage (EOC)
- The document that tells you what services are covered, how to get them, and your rights and responsibilities.
- Copay
- An amount you may have to pay the provider for specific medical services, usually at the time of the visit.
- Cost sharing
- Amounts you may have to pay toward your care, including deductibles and copays.
- Family deductible
- An amount adult family members may have to pay each month toward medical services.
- Spenddown
- If your income is over the Medical Assistance limit, you may become eligible by "spending down" to the limit. The spenddown amount works like a deductible you pay before MHCP pays.
- A review MHCP must do before some services can be covered.
- Medically necessary
- Care that is appropriate for your condition: what most providers would order, and that helps you get better, stay well, or prevents or finds health problems.
- Notice of action
- A letter telling you about a decision on a claim, a service or another action.
- Appeal
- Your written request for review of an action, such as a denial or a stop in a service.
- Open-access services
- Services where the law lets you choose any physician, clinic, hospital, pharmacy or family-planning agency.
- Preventive services
- Services that help you stay healthy, such as routine physicals, immunizations and well-person care.
- Primary care provider
- The doctor or other health professional you choose for routine care, who manages your health care.
- C&TC (Child and Teen Checkups)
- Well-child visits for members under 21, with screening, referrals and treatment if needed.
- PCA
- Personal Care Assistance, home care help with daily activities.
- Durable medical equipment
- Equipment for medical use that lasts, such as wheelchairs or hospital beds, when medically necessary and ordered by a doctor.
- HCCS
- DHS Health Care Consumer Support: 651-297-3862 or 800-657-3672, TTY 711, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Source: Minnesota DHS, MHCP Member Evidence of Coverage (revised July 22, 2026), and the Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare Member Handbook (DHS-8646). This describes fee-for-service coverage. If you are in a health plan, your plan's evidence of coverage has your exact benefits.
Need help using your benefits? Call MinnAssist free: (866) 655-6606, 7 days a week, 9 am to 9 pm.
Call (866) 655-6606 or book a free appointment.
Independent navigator organization, not MNsure or DHS. The state decides whether you qualify.
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