MMA Opposes Legislation to Rollback Prior Authorization Law

April 16, 2026

On April 13, the House Health Finance and Policy Committee heard legislation that proposes changes to the  Minnesota law governing prior authorization requirements. 

HF 4801 (Nadeau, R – Rogers) would roll back key protections that the MMA advocated for in 2024 to reduce delays in care caused by prior authorization. These protections took effect on January 1 of this year.  

The bill reintroduces broad and subjective exceptions, including allowing prior authorization when care is deemed to exceed a “standard of treatment” or involve “conflicting services.” HF 4801 also introduces the concept of a “current standard of treatment time frame,” which is not a recognized clinical standard and does not reflect how care is delivered in practice. Treatment duration is often individualized and may be indefinite, based on patient response and evolving clinical evidence. 

Rep. Kristen Bahner (DFL – Maple Grove) joined DFL colleagues in voicing opposition to the bill. “I’m really angry about this bill,” Bahner said. “We just passed a bill that went into effect January 1 of this year, in which we set reasonable limits around prior authorization.” 

The MMA submitted a letter in opposition, highlighting these concerns and citing national data showing that prior authorization requirements contribute significantly to delays in care and administrative burdens. Physicians report that such delays can lead to patients abandoning recommended treatment and contribute to increased provider burnout. 

HF 4801 was laid over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus bill.