March 5, 2026
While attending the AMA National Advocacy Conference February 23-25 in Washington, D.C., MMA leadership met with members of Minnesota’s Congressional delegation and urged their support on key federal legislation.
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| MN attendees included: Magda Bushara, MBBS (left); Dania Kamp, MD; Janet Silversmith; Lisa Mattson, MD; and Kimberly Tjaden, MD, MPH. |
MMA leadership urged support from lawmakers on the following:
As a condition of future funding for the Department of Homeland Security, restrict Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) activities in or near healthcare facilities and other sensitive locations, and hold the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accountable for ensuring that detainees are provided with appropriate medical care, food, water, and other basic human needs. This ask reinforced the request made in a February 5 letter.
Preserve access to care for Medicare beneficiaries by adopting Medicare physician payment reform. Since 2001, Medicare physician payments, when adjusted for practice cost inflation, have dropped 33%. The one-time update of 2.5% for 2026 will expire in 2027. MMA leaders expressed the need for a 2027 update, as well as the need for a long-term fix that would link future payment updates to the Medicare Economic Index.
Work to reverse the Medicaid cuts that were included in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” MMA leaders shared information on the impact of the expected cuts to Minnesota patients and physician practices, including sharing MMA's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act Resource Guide for Physicians."
Leaders in attendance included President Lisa Mattson, MD; President-elect Dania Kamp, MD; MMA Board Chair Kimberly Tjaden, MD, MPH; and MMA CEO Janet Silversmith. Other Minnesota physicians in attendance were Magda Bushara, MBBS and Mary Lawrence, MD.
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Lisa Mattson, MD (left); Mary Lawrence, MD; Rep. Angie Craig; Magda Bushara, MBBS; and Janet Silversmith. |
The leaders met with the members and/or staff from the offices of Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Tina Smith, Rep. Tom Emmer, Rep. Brad Finstad, Rep. Pete Stauber, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Kelly Morrison, Rep. Angie Craig, and Rep. Betty McCollum.
March 5, 2026
On March 2, the Minnesota House Health Finance and Policy Committee heard HF 3668 (Bierman, DFL – Apple Valley), a bill that would establish a statewide Office of Gun Violence Prevention to research and reduce gun violence and firearm-related deaths, lead public health awareness campaigns, and serve as a resource for lawmakers.
March 5, 2026
The MMA submitted a letter opposing SF 1084 (Kupec, DFL – Moorhead), which would change the statutory title of “physician assistant” to “physician associate.” The bill was heard in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on March 4.
March 5, 2026
On March 2, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) filed a federal lawsuit against the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for attempting to withhold $243 million in Medicaid payments from the state of Minnesota.