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Minnesota Physicians Focus on Five Priorities for Legislative Session

February 11, 2026

The state’s largest advocacy group for Minnesota physicians and physicians-in-training will advocate for five key legislative priorities at the Capitol this session, which begins February 17. The group will hold its annual Physicians’ Day at the Capitol on Wednesday, March 4, bringing together physicians and physicians-in-training from across the state to meet with their elected officials.  

“Dozens of healthcare-related bills go through the Capitol each session,” said Lisa Mattson, MD, the Minnesota Medical Association’s (MMA) president. “But to make an impact for patients and medical practice in Minnesota, we really need to focus our efforts on a few top issues.” 

The MMA’s top priorities include:  

1. Support efforts to minimize the impact of federal Medicaid changes and preserve coverage for Minnesotans. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law July 4, 2025, is expected to cost Minnesota $1.4 billion in lost federal Medicaid matching funds over the next four years and lead to as many as 220,000 Minnesotans losing insurance coverage over the next decade.  

2. Increase Minnesota childhood vaccination rates. Minnesota law currently allows an exemption from immunization for “conscientiously held beliefs of the parent or guardian of the minor child or emancipated person.” This provision makes Minnesota an outlier – only about 13 other states permit such an exemption – and is considered a significant reason for Minnesota’s falling vaccination rates. The MMA will also work to protect access and coverage for evidence-based recommended vaccines. 

3. Support evidence-based firearm safety laws.  

The MMA supports:  

  • a statewide ban on the sale and possession of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines  
  • a “safe storage” requirement in Minnesota, so firearms are required to be securely stored, unloaded, and kept separately from ammunition  
  • revoking the Minnesota statute that precludes local municipalities from enacting regulations related to firearms that are more restrictive than state law.   

4. Ensure physician involvement in utilization review denials. This would prohibit the use of AI-exclusive adverse determinations/prior authorization denials.  

5. Reduce barriers to wellness support (or care-seeking) for all healthcare professionals. The Treat Yourself First campaign, organized by the MMA and in coalition with other healthcare professionals, connects healthcare professionals to well-being resources. This provision ensures that confidentiality protections currently available to physicians who utilize an MMA-provided wellness program are extended to other healthcare professionals who access the services/resources. 

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Minnesota Physicians Focus on Five Priorities for Legislative Session

February 11, 2026

The state’s largest advocacy group for Minnesota physicians and physicians-in-training will advocate for five key legislative priorities at the Capitol this session, which begins February 17. The group will hold its annual Physicians’ Day at the Capitol on Wednesday, March 4, bringing together physicians and physicians-in-training from across the state to meet with their elected officials.

“Dozens of healthcare-related bills go through the Capitol each session,” said Lisa Mattson, MD, the Minnesota Medical Association’s (MMA) president. “But to make an impact for patients and medical practice in Minnesota, we really need to focus our efforts on a few top issues.”

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