Minnesotans burdened by healthcare cost more than nation

A new study says Minnesota has a higher percentage of residents with a high healthcare cost burden than the national average. The report from the non-partisan Robert Wood Johnson foundation says 21 percent of Minnesotans are underinsured compared to the national average of 18 percent. The foundation defines under-insured as people spending more than 10 percent of their annual income on health care premiums and out-of-pocket costs. A higher portion of Minnesotans are enrolled in high-deductible health plans and that contributes to the underinsured levels, said Lynn Blewett, University of Minnesota health care economist.