Key MMA Priorities Signed into Law by Gov. Walz

May 28, 2026

This week, Gov. Tim Walz signed into law several key healthcare provisions supported by the MMA. 

On May 26, he signed the Health and Human Services (HHS) finance bill  (SF 4612), which includes an MMA priority expanding confidentiality protections to all healthcare professionals participating in a wellness program. The provision extends protections currently available to physicians participating in programs such as the MMA’s Treat Yourself First program, to additional healthcare professionals across the care continuum. 

The HHS finance bill also includes several changes necessary to comply with federal law following the passage of H.R. 1 last summer. State officials estimated Minnesota risked losing approximately $3 - $5 billion annually in federal funding if compliance legislation did not pass. 

 Changes include: 

• implementing new federally mandated work requirements for adults without children using Medicaid; 

• establishing new six-month renewal requirements; 

• establishing cost-sharing requirements across departments; 

• shortening retroactive coverage from three months to one month for adults without children and three months to two months for children, parents, pregnant people, seniors, and people with disabilities. 

Importantly, the Legislature voted to fully fund three months of Medicaid retroactive coverage for Minnesotans for an additional year with state funds. This means that the changes to retroactive coverage will not begin until January 1, 2028. 

Additional provisions in the legislation include approximately $30 million for hospital stabilization grants and a one-time $205 million emergency stabilization grant for Hennepin Healthcare, with up to $500 million available through 2031. 

The MMA advocated for Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) throughout the session, highlighting the system’s essential role in patient care, emergency services, and physician training. The MMA noted that maintaining Hennepin Healthcare’s capacity is critical not only for patients in the Twin Cities, but also for those across the state who rely on timely access to specialized care.  

HCMC is projected to lose approximately $50 million this year, with deficits potentially reaching $1.7 billion over the next decade. Hospital leaders have indicated they may need to return to the Legislature next year to pursue additional long-term sustainability solutions. 

On May 27, Walz signed the omnibus commerce policy bill (HF 4188) into law. Included in the legislation is a key MMA priority addressing the use of automated processing in utilization review, including prior authorization determinations. 

Specifically, AI or automated processing may not be used to issue an adverse determination made through utilization review. All adverse determinations must be reviewed and issued by a licensed physician. The reviewing clinician must also hold a Minnesota license and practice in the same or a closely related specialty as the treating provider.  

Lastly, Walz signed the scope of practice and licensure package (HF 3825) into law on May 27. Included in this legislation was a change to advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) training requirements. Under these changes, the requirement that the first year of postgraduate practice for newly trained nurse practitioners or clinical nurse specialists be in a hospital or other integrated clinical setting has been removed. Instead, the first year of postgraduate practice for nurse practitioners or clinical nurse specialists can be in any setting, provided there is a collaborative agreement with a physician or an APRN with at least three years’ practice experience. Nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists who do not provide primary care or mental health services must complete their 2,080 postgraduate hours under a collaborative practice agreement with a physician or APRN in a setting where physicians and APRNs work together. 

The legislation also included MMA-supported legislation to allow pharmacists to prescribe medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD).