March 14, 2024
Physician practices continue to struggle and identify workarounds after the late February Change Healthcare cyberattack.
On March 9, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that physicians who have been impacted by the cyberattack and resulting disruptions can request advanced Medicare payments to help with cash-flow disruptions. More information and eligibility criteria can be found here. (CMS has also posted FAQs.)
UnitedHealth Group has also established temporary funding assistance to affected practices. Details and updated information on the Change restoration is available on UHG’s cyber response page here.
On March 13, the U.S. Office for Civil Rights announced an investigation into whether the attached involved a breach of protected health information occurred and Change Healthcare’s and UHG’s compliance with HIPAA Rules.
The MMA will continue to monitor the situation, and we will provide additional updates to physicians as they become available.
December 4, 2025
On December 4, Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) released its budget forecast for the 2026-27 biennium, showing a short-term budget surplus of $2.5 billion for the current biennium, but warned of a long-term $2.96 billion deficit for the 2028-29 biennium.
December 4, 2025
On December 2, the Vaccine Integrity Project (VIP) released a study on the safety, effectiveness, and public health impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccinations at birth.
December 4, 2025
The Minnesota Department of Commerce (DOC) is now accepting public comments regarding proposed legislation to mandate insurance coverage of certain treatments.