April 11, 2024
Legislation that would establish a Commission for Equitable Health Care Services in Minnesota was heard in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and the State and Local Government and Veterans Committee on April 9.
“This is legislation to change the trajectory of our healthcare system,” said Sen. Erin Murphy (DFL – St. Paul), the bill’s chief author. “There is so much public funding in our healthcare system, whether it is through tax preferences, subsidies for insurance companies, reimbursements, payments, or grants, there are many ways in which public dollars are flowing through our healthcare system. It isn’t always clear where those public dollars are going.”
The commission would be comprised of members of the public from across the state with the aim of developing a plan to provide meaningful availability of healthcare services to Minnesota residents by reviewing activities of healthcare entities that receive state funds. Among the duties of the commission would be to hold regional hearings, investigate “the financial and policy instruments employed by corporate health care entities,” look at the geographic distribution of providers, and make recommendations on “transparency of ownership of health care facilities and systems and the role of private equity in the health care market.”
In addition to the commission, the bill establishes “commission advisors,” one of whom would be appointed by the MMA.
A second portion of the bill (SF 4346) requires healthcare entities that receive state money to certify to the state auditor that they are using state funds according to how the Legislature intended, and for the state auditor to examine the financial records of these healthcare entities if the commission requests such an examination. The legislation empowers the state auditor to review the records of a healthcare entity if it has received an eligible state expenditure in the prior calendar year.
Legislators raised concerns with the new authority of the state auditor, especially over independently owned smaller practices.
The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill. It has not currently moved in the House.
September 11, 2025
A special election to fill the seat left open following the assassination of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman is scheduled for September 16. The election for House District 34B includes Brooklyn Park and parts of Coon Rapids.
September 11, 2025
The MMA and five other physician advocacy organizations sent a letter to Gov. Tim Walz, on September 5 urging him to call a special legislative session to “pass legislation to address the devastating death and injuries from firearms and gun violence.”
September 11, 2025
On September 8, Gov. Tim Walz issued an executive order (EO) directing the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to expand its efforts to safeguard vaccine access in Minnesota, in response to federal actions restricting vaccine availability.