March 30, 2023
On March 27, the House Health Finance and Policy Committee released its omnibus bill, which contains several MMA priorities, including a two-year extension for audio-only telehealth coverage, Medical Assistance coverage for recuperative care services, and the creation of a statewide database for provider orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) forms.
HF2930 (Liebling, DFL – Rochester), as amended, also contains updates to the all-payer claims database to include non-claims data, as well as grant funding for healthcare entities to improve worker safety to address the rise in violence against healthcare workers.
In addition, the bill includes efforts to address healthcare workforce shortages in underserved areas, such as funding for loan forgiveness, clinical training grants, and primary care residency training programs.
The bill also requires coverage and reimbursement of postpartum use of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) and increased reimbursement for family-planning services.
The MMA voiced its support for these items in an itemized letter to the committee, as well as public testimony on March 29.
The House released most of its committee omnibus bills this week, including Human Services, Judiciary, and Commerce. The MMA’s priority to introduce the Communication and Optimal Resolution (CANDOR) process in Minnesota was included in the House Judiciary omnibus bill. Several drug price transparency items were listed in the House Commerce omnibus bill. However, the MMA priority to prohibit insurers and pharmacy benefit managers from forcing patients off of a drug in the middle of their contract year has not been included in an omnibus bill yet.
The mid-year formulary language could be listed in the Senate Health omnibus bill, expected to be released soon and heard early next week.
August 28, 2025
The apparent removal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director, Susan Monarez, PhD, after just weeks on the job, further imperils the work of the CDC and the health of Americans. Her removal was followed by the resignations of other senior leaders at the CDC, who have accused HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. of undermining scientific recommendations for vaccines.
August 26, 2025
University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham, MD, will speak at the Empowering Physicians: A Night of Learning & Connection event on Friday, September 26, from 4 to 9 pm, at the historic Hewing Hotel in downtown Minneapolis.
August 26, 2025
America's physicians are seeing a rise in misinformation and disinformation from patients these days, and it’s impacting patient care, according to a new study from the Physicians Foundation.