Health Omnibus Bill Passes Out of Finance Committee

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.