HHS Omnibus Bill Passes House Floor, Goes to Conference Committee

May 5, 2022

Following a lengthy debate, the House Health and Human Services (HHS) omnibus bill, SF 4410, passed the House floor on a 69-64 party-line vote on May 3. The bill includes several items backed by the MMA including: 

• Language to limit the ability of insurers and pharmacy benefit managers from forcing patients to change medications in the middle of their enrollment year because the insurer decides to alter its drug formularies. 

• Language directing the health commissioner to study and develop a recommendation for a statewide registry for patients who have a Provider Order for Life-sustaining Treatment (POLST) form. 

• Funds for new primary care rural residency training grants. 

• Protections to ensure patients with chronic pain have access to needed opioids. 

• Authorization for the health department to collect non-claims-based payment information to help gain a better understanding of how healthcare is being paid for in Minnesota. 

• Improved coverage of tobacco cessation services in the state’s public programs. 

The Senate previously passed its version of the HHS omnibus bill – a significantly smaller bill. Because the language in the two bills do not match, a conference committee will meet and hash out the differences. Senate conferees include Sens. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka), Paul Utke (R-Park Rapids), Mark Koran (R-North Branch), Michelle Benson (R-Ham Lake) and John Hoffman (DFL-Champlin). House conferees include Reps. Tina Liebling (DFL-Rochester), Jennifer Schultz (DFL-Duluth), Aisha Gomez (DFL-Minneapolis), Dave Pinto (DFL-St. Paul), and Tony Albright (R-Prior Lake). 

The conference committee is scheduled to begin meeting on May 9. They need to reach agreement before the Legislature adjourns, which will be before May 23.