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The Legislative Commission on Health Care Access shall make recommendations to the legislature on how to achieve the goal of universal health coverage as described in section 62Q.165. The recommendations shall include a timetable in which measurable progress must be achieved toward this goal. The commission shall submit to the legislature by January 15, 2008, the recommendations and corresponding timetable.

M.S. Section 62Q.165, referred to in the charge, specifies that it is the goal of the state to reduce "the number of Minnesotans who do not have health coverage, so that by January 1, 2011, all Minnesota residents have access to affordable health care."
 

The Legislative Commission on Health Care Access was established in 1992 (62J.07) as the Legislative Oversight Commission. The commission was directed to provide a preliminary report and recommendations to the legislature by January 15, 1993, and a final report and recommendations by January 15, 1994.

In order to begin planning the development of a health benefit exchange in compliance with the Federal Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, the Health Care Access Commission convened the Health Insurance Exchange Working Group and charged the group with identifying and exploring the option s available to the state. The 2010 report linked to below incorporates recommendations of the Health Insurance Exchange Working Group, the Payment Reform Working Group, and the Work Force Shortage Working Group created by the Commission.

The Legislative Commission on Health Care Access consists of five members of the senate appointed under the rules of the senate and five members of the house of representatives appointed under the rules of the house of representatives. The Legislative Commission on Health Care Access must include three members of the majority party and two members of the minority party in each house.

As of February 2008, the members are:
Senator Linda Berglin (Co-Chair)
Senator John Marty
Senator Paul Koering
Senator Julie Rosen
Senator Tony Lourey

Representative Tom Huntley (Co-Chair)
Representative Jim Abeler
Representative Paul Thissen
Representative Diane Loeffler
Representative Steve Gottwalt