MHA Healthline

This week, Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development offered a look of the first six months of the new paid leave program; North Memorial and Sanford leaders made their case for a merger at a public forum, and big changes in the 340B drug pricing program were floated in Washington.

This week, Congress turned its focus again on Medicaid fraud, bringing in officials from Minnesota, California, New York and Ohio for a grilling. Also, RHTP isn't winning a lot of praise so far in Minnesota, and insurers in the MNCare marketplace tell the state they expect to post double-digit premium increases for a second straight year. It's an early indication of what's behind growing concern a...

This week, Fairview said it was leaving United Healthcare's Medicare Advantage network, as United Health Group's stock rallies and federal officials issued a critical report about UHC's prior authorization practices. Also, a new survey says Medicaid beneficiaries in Minnesota may be in for some unpleasant surprises, and Eli Lilly makes good on its threat to cut off 340B discounts.

This week: Minnesota's Department of Human Services disenrolled nearly half of the state's Medicaid providers last week, but reversed course amid concerns that disabled and vulnerable Minnesotans could lose services. Also, a new HHS report says for-profit Medicare Advantage providers have "unusual" prior authorization denials for post-hospital care; Keith Ellison held a listening session on the Sa...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published its proposed work requirement for Medicaid beneficiaries, prompting some quiet alarm among advocates for people with lung diseases, HIV and other conditions. The new rule may make "medical frailty" exemptions harder to obtain than many expected. Also, an influential right-leaning think tank is sharpening its attack on the ACA, after playing...

Minnesota's safety net of Federally Qualified Health Centers provide free or low cost health care to tens of thousands of patients, and some say the number of uninsured people coming through their doors is rising steadily. It's a potential early indicator of a spike in the state's uninsured population that providers are bracing for in 2027. Also, following a state rescue of HCMC, tiny Madelia Heal...

This week, a look back at the just-concluded legislative session, with a big rescue package for HCMC, and some money for other hospitals. But a 340B drug discount expansion that would have meant tens of millions of dollars in additional health funding fell short. Also, the Trump adminsitration expects to cut an additional $775 billion in Medicaid by 2035 -- on top of work and reenrollment requirem...

This week, the legislature agree to a $205 million rescue plan for HCMC, and set up what is planned to be a $500 million safety net for hospitals in the future -- which may be closer than people think. Also, beefed up 340B discount enforcement is making progress at the Capitol, and Minnesota is monitoring a hantavirus exposure as an outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship has sparked memories of the COVID...

The Minnesota House voted last night to approve this off-year's supplemental health budget. But the measure left more questions than answers for providers and patients, as the state braces for the impact of Medicaid changes in last year's One Big Beautiful Act. Also, Minnesota's Department of Human Services leadership switched this week -- twice. It came as scrutiny continued to grow on Medicaid f...

The Minnesota Senate passed a $150 million, two year rescue plan for HCMC this week, and included nearly $140 million in aid for other state hospitals. Alternative plans in the House are still unclear. Also, the Trump administration says it will freeze yet more Medicaid funding for the state following nearly two dozen fraud-related FBI raids around the Twin Cities this week. And a new "organ manuf...

This week: A response to the financial crisis at HCMC is starting to run out the clock at the Capitol; Gov. Tim Walz says Democrats have to come up with a health care solution to win; the Minnesota House Capital Investment Committee hears about plans for a new state pediatric mental health facility and Minnesota hospitals counted up more than $6 billion in community benefit last year. Also, an inf...

The dire financial situation at Hennepin Healthcare dominated the health news in Minnesota this week, as lawmakers tried to figure out how to fill a $200 million budget gap at the hospital for 2026 -- lest the key care provider close. Also, scrutiny is growing on the University of Minnesota, even after likely resolution of the wind down of its existing partnership with Fairview. Pressure builds at...

In this week's episode, a bill to boost the 340B drug discount program in the state got bi-partisan approval in the Minnesota Senate; the House tax committee started work on a financial rescue plan for Hennepin Healthcare, and providers in St. Paul highlighted the dangers they're seeing among kids riding electric scooters and bikes. Also, a new KFF analysis found a statistically significant rise i...

This week, nurses, paramedics and other workers held a press conference at the Capitol to plead HCMC's case to lawmakers as financial challenges continue; the Minnesota Department of Human Services has an update on its efforts to get back in good stead with CMS and overhaul Medical Assistance, and a new Gallup poll says that American's worries about the economy were easing in early 2026, with heal...

This week, word that CMS is looking approvingly at the anti-fraud measures Minnesota offered in response to a threatened Medicaid funding freeze -- although some small Minnesota health care providers say they haven't been paid for months by Medicare. Also, the legislature debated GLP-1 coverage for Medical Assistance beneficiaries, and kept it -for now. Also, there may not be just one "Big Beautif...

Unpaid care at Minnesota hospitals rose nearly a third in 2024, a new report from the Minnesota Department of Health told lawmakers this week. And that's before a spike in uninsured patients MDH reported for 2025 and a new poll that says nearly 1 in 10 Affordable Care Act market enrollees in the U.S.  last year are now without any insurance at all. Also, Gov. Tim Walz rolled out a new child care t...

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Department of Human Services commissioner Shireen Gandhi proposed major changes to how Medicaid works in Minnesota this week. They're trying to convince federal officials that they're responding to widespread fraud allegations, as well as prepare for looming work requirements. Also, the percent of Minnesotans without health insurance was creeping up, even before pandemi...

This week: Minnesota governor Tim Walz and attorney general Keith Ellison got a grilling before the House Oversight committee in Washington, and CMS director Dr. Mehmet Oz suggested a focus on fraud will be turning to New York State soon. Also, a new report on the 340B drug discount program got an airing at the Capitol, and a new Rand Report looks at the financial impact of the One Big Beautiful B...

This week: President Donald Trump made allegations of social services fraud in Minnesota one of the keynotes of his 2026 State of the Union address, although he also mentioned drug prices and health care price transparency. Also, Hennepin Healthcare told the Minnesota Senate it was in dire straights and at risk of closing without a financial lifeline.

This we ek :  The legislature is back and already looking at health matters, and  we're  getting  a look  at the impact of the  end of pandemic-era  ACA  subsidies in Minnesota.   Host: Tim Nelson, Minnesota Hospital Association

Officials at Hennepin Healthcare started the week with some warnings about the financial difficulties at HCMC, and followed with some substantial cut backs announced later in the week. Also, border czar Tom Homan announced a roll back on Operation Metro Surge and denied agents were looking for immigrants in health care settings -- but didn't rule that out. Also, more federal funding battles betwee...