Assister Case Association Policy

This policy applies to navigators.

Policy Details

Navigators associate with applications and/or enrollments to facilitate the processing of navigator per-enrollee payments.

There are five ways a navigator can associate with an application or enrollment:

  1. Navigator information is entered on the signature page of the online application.
  2. The consumer associates with a navigator through the assister portal in METS. The application can be completed using the consumer or assister portal.
  3. The assister portion of Appendix C of the Application for Health Coverage and Help Paying Costs (DHS-6696) or Application for Health Coverage (DHS-6741) is completed.
  4. Navigators only: The navigator completes, signs and submits an online Navigator Online Case Association Form. 
  5. Navigator submits an online case association form (link) for helping a a Consumer with a renewal, a DACA application or a MAXIS application. 
  6. Assister is associated with a consumer through their MNsure Assister Portal. 

An association is not required for the ARC to provide certified assisters with information regarding a consumer’s application and enrollment status.

Procedure for Associating with a Consumer When Submitting an Online Application In METS 

  1. In the "MNsure Assister" section of the “Signature” page of the online application, select “Yes” to the question: “Did a MNsure Assister help you with this application?" 
  2. Additional fields will pop open. Enter the assister’s nine-digit alpha-numerical Assister ID in the “Assister ID” field and the full name of organization into the “Organization Name” field. 
  3. The association information is stored in METS as case evidence. Information is viewable to caseworkers (including ARC, MNsure Contact Center, DHS and counties). 

Procedure for Associating with a Consumer Through the Assister Portal in METS 

  1. Assister provides a consumer their unique Reference Number. 
  2. The consumer creates an account or logs into their existing MNsure account. 
  3. The consumer clicks on "Manage Assister" on their MNsure.org account's tool bar. 
  4. On the Assister Details page, the consumer clicks "Add or change my assister." 
  5. On the "Select the Assister Helping You" page, the consumer enters the assister's Reference Number and clicks "Search." 
  6. If a valid Reference Number is entered, the "Select the Assister Helping You" page will display the details for the assister in the "Assister Details" section of the page. If the correct assister displays, the consumer clicks "Next." If the consumer does not click "Next," the association will not be processed. 
  7. The "Assister Authorization/Agent of Record" screen will display. If the consumer agrees to the terms outlined on the screen, the consumer clicks "Confirm" to associate with the assister. 
  8. Once the consumer clicks "Confirm," the assister is now associated with the consumer in METS. 
    • The association information is pulled in reports used for processing navigator payments. 
    • The association information is not viewable to caseworkers (including ARC, MNsure Contact Center, DHS and counties). 
  9. An application or enrollment can be submitted using either the consumer's account or the assister portal. In either case, there will be an association for purposes of payment.

Procedure for Associating with a Consumer When Submitting a Paper Application

  1. Complete the assister information on Appendix C of the Application for Health Coverage and Help Paying Costs (DHS-6696). The following information should be entered in the section titled: "For certified application counselors, navigators, in-person assisters, agents and brokers only."
    • Application start date
    • Name of applicant
    • Name of assister
    • Assister phone number
    • Organization name (please avoid acronyms)
    • Assister ID Number (nine-digit alpha-numerical)
  2. When the paper application is entered into METS, the assister information is entered as case evidence.
  3. Information is viewable to caseworkers (including ARC, MNsure Contact Center, DHS and counties).
  4. Information is pulled in report used for processing navigator payments.

For the navigator procedure for associating with a consumer using the online Navigator Case Association Form, please refer to the Navigator Case Association Form policy.

Procedure for Associating with a Consumer for Renewals and DACA and MAXIS applications

Navigators must submit an online Navigator Case Association Form to associate with a consumer in the following situations:

  • Assisted with submitting a pre-populated Renewal Form for a consumer in “Need to Renew” status in METS (Consumers in “Auto Renew” status and MAXIS renewals are not eligible for payment) .
  • Assisted a consumer with one of the following applications for coverage that is not processed through METS: 
    • Minnesota Health Care Programs Application for Certain Populations (DHS-3876) 
    • DACA Application (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) 
    • Medicare Savings Program 
  • Entering navigator information on a paper application for any of these programs will not establish an association for purposes of payment. 
  • MAXIS renewals are not eligible for payment. 

Procedure for Associating with a Consumer Through the MNsure Assister Portal

The MNsure system offers three options for how a consumer can authorize an assister:  

  1. The consumer can initiate an authorization using the new MNsure Assister Directory.  
    • The consumer is logs into their MNsure account. 
    • The consumer finds the assister they want to work with through the MNsure Assister Directory.
    • The consumer sends an electronic request to work with the assister.
    • If the assister accepts the request, the authorization is completed. 
  2. An assister can initiate the authorization by searching for an existing consumer.  
    • To initiate an authorization, an assister must first search to see if the household has an application in MNsure’s system.  
    • The consumer’s name, SSN and date of birth are required for a match.  
    • If a match is found, the assister can request to “claim” the household.  
    • To complete the authorization, the consumer must provide the assister with a verification code they receive via a text, a call, or email (based on the communication preference in the consumer’s account settings). Once the assister enters that verification code, the authorization is completed.
  3. An assister can initiate the authorization by creating an account for a new consumer. 
    • An assister must first search to see if the household has an application in MNsure’s system, the consumer’s name, SSN and date of birth.
    • If no match is found, the assister can create an account for the consumer.  
    • Creating an account for the consumer automatically creates an association between the consumer and the assister. 

Assisters should always use their MNsure portal to view consumer information and take any actions on behalf of a consumer.  For purposed of payment a consumer must associated with the Navigator in MN-EES at the time of the eligible action and/or the action is taken through the navigator’s account in MN-EES. 

Terms and Definitions 

  • ARC: Assister Resource Center. 
  • Assister: Navigator or certified application counselor (CAC) certified by MNsure.
  • METS: Minnesota Eligibility Technology System. 
  • METS Assister Portal: Online portal in METS that enables assisters to apply on behalf of a consumer who has authorized them. 
  • MN-EES: MNsure Eligibility and Enrollment System  
  • MNsure Assister Portal: Online portal in MNEES that enables assisters to apply and enroll on behalf of a consumer who has authorized them. 
  • Navigator Case Association Form: Form used to associate a navigator with a consumer application or enrollment to facilitate per-enrollee payments. 
  • Reference number: A unique identification number that allows a consumer to associate with a specific assister through the assister portal.