About Us
Opening The Door to Health Care
Since our founding in 1995, we’ve helped over 50,000 uninsured children, families, and adults overcome barriers to quality health care coverage and services. Today, we continue our history of innovative solutions and lead the way in culturally competent outreach, enrollment, health literacy, and health system navigation services.
Health Insurance Enrollment Experts
Portico helps uninsured Minnesotans enroll in health insurance and navigate the complicated health care system. Our certified MNsure Navigators provide free, personalized assistance and help clients find the most affordable coverage for their family.
A History of Innovation
Responding to Community Needs
Portico Healthnet, originally MetroEast Program for Health, was created in 1995 to respond to the growing number of low-income east metro community members who couldn’t afford health insurance and didn’t qualify for government assistance. By providing coverage for primary and preventive services, as well as care management coordination to address barriers to care, Portico helped participants improve their health while also addressing the high cost hospitals incurred for providing care to uninsured individuals. Our work quickly expanded to meet additional community needs, including providing personalized application and enrollment assistance to those eligible for public health insurance.
Meeting the Demand
In 2000, Portico Healthnet became an independent, community-based 501(c)(3) organization. With the launch of the Affordable Care Act and MNsure in 2013, Portico staff became Certified MNsure Navigators, and Portico increased in size to reach out to those newly eligible for public programs. Portico provides training and resources for MNsure navigators and assistors throughout Minnesota. Our organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of professionals from the finance, health care, legal, marketing, policy, public health and public relations sectors. The addition of Hmong, Karen, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese bilingual MNsure Navigators has allowed Portico to meet increasing demand from immigrant communities.
“Birth is not an easy thing to go through, and having the stress of needing healthcare on top of that was equally as stressful. Just knowing that was taken care of was extremely helpful for me.”
“Portico really did help in a scary time in terms of being able to get that health coverage that we that we had been looking for . . . Relieving some of that financial burden and that really has helped us as a family.”
Naomi, Portico Client
Our Mission
Advancing equitable access to health coverage for all Minnesotans