May 2, 2024
At least two of the MMA’s top priorities continue to advance at the Capitol, as both the Senate and House health omnibus bills were referred to the floor for a vote after being heard in their respective finance committee.
The Senate omnibus bill, SF 4699 (Wiklund, DFL – Bloomington) was heard by the Senate Finance Committee on May 1. It includes the MMA’s physician wellness bill, which would prohibit health system credentialing applications from inquiring about an applicant’s past health conditions. Additionally, the bill includes the MMA’s request for state funding for a statewide campaign to reduce the stigma behind mental health treatment and encourage physicians to seek and obtain professional help to address career fatigue and wellness.
The Senate bill also includes a separate provision that applies current prior authorization law to the state’s public programs. Currently, Minnesota’s public programs are exempted from state prior authorization laws. The Senate bill is expected to go to the floor for a vote next week.
The House omnibus bill, HF 4571 (Liebling, DFL – Rochester), includes several portions of the MMA’s prior authorization reform language. The bill has yet to be heard in the Ways and Means Committee, but is expected to be heard next week.
August 20, 2026
A physician and Olympian will give an inspirational address as part of this year's Empowering Physicians event on Friday, September 25, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
August 20, 2026
Minnesota received some disturbing news this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as data shows that for the 2025-2026 school year, vaccination rates decreased and non-medical exemptions increased.
August 20, 2026
On August 11, a federal appellate court sided with the Texas Medical Association (TMA) argument that the way the No Surprises Act’s qualifying payment amount (QPA) is calculated has historically favored payers in arbitration.