MMA Board Approves 5 Pulse Policies, Hears from Malcolm on HCMC’s Future

May 21, 2026

At its May 16 meeting, the MMA Board of Trustees approved five new policies that went through The Pulse, and heard from former Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm, who was recently appointed by Gov. Tim Walz to serve as a special advisor on hospital and healthcare finances.  

The approved Pulse policies included:  

• support for the completion of medical directives before elective surgeries, which was submitted by the Resident Fellow Section; 

• support for healthcare supply chain resilience, which was submitted by Jovany Betancourt, Ph.D, a medical student; and 

• various alcohol-related policies, submitted by the Public Health Committee, that dealt with monitoring and public communication of alcohol-related harms; alcohol use screening and treatment; and alcohol use among women. 

One proposed policy on alcohol use and driving was referred to the Advocacy & Policy Committee for further consideration.  

Malcolm discussed the scope of her new role, the legislative agreement for Hennepin Healthcare, and the related task force established to consider future legislative recommendations on the ownership, governance, and financing of Hennepin Healthcare. She noted the need for broader community discussions about policy changes needed to sustain access to healthcare services, particularly considering the impacts of the looming federal Medicaid cuts as the result of H.R. 1.