Find Care in MN

The Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector is a tool that alerts you when you are eligible to receive a vaccine, connect you to resources to schedule a vaccine appointment, and notify you if there are vaccine opportunities in your area, so be sure to sign up!

See the MN Department of Health's Vaccine Finder here.

Healthcare providers, select pharmacy retail stores (e.g. Walmart, Sam's Club, Thrifty White Pharmacy, Hy-Vee) and community vaccination sites are also administering Coronavirus vaccines.

If you'd like to get the Coronavirus vaccine at your primary care clinic, we recommend calling the clinic to ask if you can make an appointment. For help locating a healthcare provider, please consult the resources listed below.

For Hennepin County, register to receive a vaccine at hennepin.us/vaccineregistration. Registering in the Hennepin County vaccine registration system does not make you ineligible for the state’s vaccine connector tool."

Check out the Resources Listed Here (MN Dept of Health)

https://mn.gov/covid19/get-tested/index.jsp

Order a Free Test to Take at Home (MN Dept of Health)

https://learn.vaulthealth.com/state-of-minnesota/

Order a Free Test to Take at Home (Federal Government)

https://www.covidtests.gov/

Find a Community Health Center 

Most community health centers will welcome you whether you have health insurance or not, and many are waiving fees for the test.

https://mnachc.org/community-health-centers/find-a-health-center/

This tool allows you to search by your zip code. Check the box that says “COVID-19 Testing” for sites providing COVID-19 testing.

What if I have health insurance?

“All four medical insurance companies that sell private health insurance plans on MNsure (BlueCross BlueShield, HealthPartners, Medica and UCare) are waiving co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles related to Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnostic testing. Minnesotans who are enrolled in those plans will have no costs associated with medically directed testing in compliance with the Centers for Disease Control guidance.”

Minnesota Dept of Health Free Testing Areas

“These testing sites are for areas with outbreaks, increasing cases, or other barriers to access existing test sites.”

https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/testsites/index.html

Visit the Stay Safe MN website for the latest guidance here.

Find a Community Health Center

Most community health centers will welcome you whether you have health insurance or not, and many have programs to provide free flu vaccinations for uninsured persons.

https://mnachc.org/community-health-centers/find-a-health-center/

What if I have health insurance?

If you have health insurance, flu vaccinations are typically free, however you may have to get it at a healthcare provider that’s in your insurance’s network. Call the phone number on your insurance card for info.

Grocery Stores and Pharmacies

Flu shots are also given at some grocery stores and pharmacies. At the time of posting this, the CDC’s VaccineFinder is a good way to locate such options.

https://vaccinefinder.org/find-vaccine

Healthcare can mean a lot of things. Some examples include eye care, dental care, exercise, family planning, mental healthcare, and vaccinations. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, a “primary care” doctor is a good place to start. They can help you figure out what kind of care you need and how to get that care.

For a list of healthcare providers artists have recommended to us, scroll down on this page below this FAQ.

Ask around to see if your friends or family members know anyone they would recommend. Don’t be afraid to go to a few places/people until you find one that works for you.

Additionally, Springboard has an AAH Voucher program where artists can get vouchers to use, like a gift certificate at a few healthcare providers in the Twin Cities and we list healthcare providers artists recommend to us below (scroll down to after this FAQ).

To find out where your insurance is accepted, see the next question.

The places where your insurance can be used are called “in-network.” If you go to places outside of your insurance plan’s network, you might pay more for your care than you would have if you’d gone to a place that’s in your health insurance’s network. To find out which people and places are in your insurance plan’s network, call the customer service phone number listed on your health insurance membership card.

For a list of healthcare providers artists have recommended to us, scroll down on this page below this FAQ.

Sometimes you just have to try it out and see how it goes! As you are trying out new resources, pay attention to how you feel when you are there. Do you feel comfortable? Can you ask questions? Do you feel like you are being listened to and taken seriously? Can you speak up about your needs? Finding a good healthcare provider—whether it’s a medical doctor, therapist or yoga instructor—takes time. Keep trying, trust your gut, and don’t settle for less because a good healthcare provider can make all the difference in your care.

For a list of healthcare providers artists have recommended to us, scroll down on this page below this FAQ.

One odd thing about healthcare is that, sometimes, the healthcare provider doesn't tell you how much your healthcare will cost before you buy it. In emergency situations, you don’t have time to ask how much something costs. But, if you do have time, please ask! The place that you’re getting the care from should tell you how much it costs and how much of the healthcare will be paid for by your insurance.

For a list of healthcare providers artists have recommended to us, scroll down on this page below this FAQ.

Often, insurance doesn’t help pay for all of your healthcare costs. And, even when insurance does pay for some of it, the cost can still too high. If it’s not an emergency, you or a friend can call around to find out how much the same healthcare costs at different clinics or doctors.

You can also seek out healthcare providers that have a “sliding fee scale,” which means that they price their healthcare depending on how much money you make or how much you’re able to pay. Most of these places welcome you whether you have health insurance or not. Many of these clinics are listed on this resource. Springboard also partners with People's Center Clinics and Services and United Family Medicine as part of our AAH Voucher Program.

See the next question for more resources!

For artists in Minnesota, Springboard has an AAH Voucher program where artists can get vouchers to use, like a gift certificate at a few healthcare providers in the Twin Cities. Springboard also has a Personal Emergency Relief Fund for Artists that may be able to pay up to $500 of a catastrophic medical bill, and/or check out this list of emergency funds here.

For a list of healthcare providers artists have recommended to us, scroll down on this page below this FAQ.