MMA Advocacy Efforts During Legislative Session Will Lead to Fewer Administrative Hassles for Minnesota Physicians

May 23, 2024

The MMA guided three of its top priorities across the finish line this legislative session. Bills on prior authorization reform, physician well-being, and addressing addiction through harm reduction, now await Gov. Tim Walz’s signature.  

“Overall, we are very pleased with the session,” said MMA President Laurel Ries, MD. “Getting prior authorization reform passed was our no. 1 priority and took a lot of work. When these changes are implemented in 2026, patients and physicians will have to deal with fewer administrative hassles to get the care that they need. That’s a huge victory for how we practice medicine in Minnesota.”  

Here are some highlights of the prior authorization reform measures: 

• Prior authorization laws now apply to all payers, including Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare. 

• A prior authorization received for a chronic condition does not expire unless the treatment changes. 

• Prior authorization is prohibited on non-medication treatments for cancer, outpatient mental health, and substance-use disorder. Prior authorizations for the medications for these treatments must be decided within 48 hours. 

• Prior authorizations are prohibited for preventive services, pediatric hospice care, and for pediatric neonatal abstinence programs. 

• Prior authorization companies are required to annually report to the Minnesota Department of Health data on how often they use prior authorization, how often they approve, and how often they deny. 

• Prior authorization companies are required to utilize an automated process that is consistent with the new federal requirements that identifies whether a prior authorization is required and what documentation is needed. 

The MMA also devoted much of its advocacy efforts to addressing physician wellness. The final bill prohibits credentialing applications from asking about past medical conditions that have no impact on the ability to provide care. These questions have discouraged physicians and physicians-in-training from seeking the help that they need because of fear of having to disclose this information. The bill also protects any record of a person's participation in SafeHaven from discovery, subpoena, or reporting to the licensing board, unless the person voluntarily provides for written release of the information. 

The third successful MMA priority addresses addiction through harm reduction instead of continuing to criminalize illicit drug use. This year, the Legislature established the Task Force on Holistic and Effective Responses to Illicit Drug Use, for which the MMA has a seat. It is tasked with developing “recommendations for a holistic and effective response to illicit drug use and the illicit drug trade…that reduces and, where possible, prevents harm and expands individual and community health, safety, and autonomy.” 

The two MMA priorities that did not move forward this session included: 

• Stopping insurers from forcing patients to switch medications mid-year due to formulary changes; and 

• Ensuring patient treatment wishes are followed and respected by implementing a statewide electronic registry for Provider Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) forms.  

“We’re disappointed that all of our priorities didn’t move forward this session, but that won’t deter us from continuing to advocate for them and other legislation that helps improve the practice of medicine in Minnesota,” Ries said.