March 24, 2022
Legislation that would update and improve the healthcare data the state collects passed the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee on March 22.
The legislation, HF3696 (Rep. Jennifer Schultz, DFL-Duluth), updates the state’s All-Payer Claims Database (APCD) and directs the Department of Health to begin collecting payment information that is not included in claims. Minnesota’s APCD currently collects payment information from insurance claims from all payers in order to conduct research to better understand how healthcare is paid for. However, APCD data is missing a large portion of payments as more reimbursements for value-based payments are not included in insurance claims.
The legislation was developed by a large coalition of primary care providers, led by the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP). Deb Dittberner, MD, MAFP’s president, testified in strong support of the bill, stressing the importance of value-based payments to support primary care services.
“There are several non-claims-based payments that affect the way that I, as a physician, and others in my practice provide care for patients,” Dittberner said. “Value-based payments support physicians in taking on patients with increased complexity, such as multiple chronic diseases, which take more time and effort outside of routine office visits to effectively manage their diseases.”
The bill was referred back to the House Health Finance and Policy Committee where it likely will be included in the omnibus health and human services bill that will be developed by the committee.
August 28, 2025
The apparent removal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director, Susan Monarez, PhD, after just weeks on the job, further imperils the work of the CDC and the health of Americans. Her removal was followed by the resignations of other senior leaders at the CDC, who have accused HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. of undermining scientific recommendations for vaccines.
August 26, 2025
University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham, MD, will speak at the Empowering Physicians: A Night of Learning & Connection event on Friday, September 26, from 4 to 9 pm, at the historic Hewing Hotel in downtown Minneapolis.
August 26, 2025
America's physicians are seeing a rise in misinformation and disinformation from patients these days, and it’s impacting patient care, according to a new study from the Physicians Foundation.