House Passes Health Omnibus Bill, Conference Committee Likely Next Week 

April 27, 2023

On April 26, the Minnesota House passed the omnibus health and human services budget bill that includes several of MMA’s legislative priorities on a 69-58 vote. 

MMA priorities in the bill include: a two-year extension for coverage of audio-only telehealth; medical assistance (MA) coverage for recuperative care services; and an initiative to direct the Commissioner of Health to study the development of a statewide database for POLST (Provider Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment) forms. 

The bill also includes broad investments in the healthcare workforce through rural residency programs and loan forgiveness programs, grant funding to address healthcare worker safety, language to repeal current statutes intended to obstruct access to reproductive healthcare services, and updates to the all-payer claims database (APCD), which the MMA supports.  

The bill does not include language to prohibit insurers and pharmacy benefit manufacturers from changing the formulary of a drug during a patient’s contract year. 

Since the language in the House and Senate bills are different, a conference committee will be formed to hash out the differences and develop identical language in a conference report that will then be acted on by both bodies. The conference committee, which will consist of an equal number of senators and representatives, is expected to be formed next week.