Virtual File - Item

Text: TO: Robbie LaFleur, Deputy Director, Legislative Reference Library
FROM: Randall Chun, Legislative Analyst
RE: Health Care Access Chronology

As we discussed, I have gone through my old files and prepared a selective chronology of recent health care access legislation. I have included only a very brief summary of each piece of legislation. More detailed summaries can be found in the end-of-session reports of the Minnesota Medical Association and the Minnesota Hospital Association (I assume the library gets copies of these). Please let me know if you have questions about the chronology.

CHRONOLOGY OF RECENT HEALTH CARE ACCESS LEGISLATION
Note: this chronology lists only selected health care access legislation considered or passed by the Legislature.

1988 session:
H.F. 2188 (Ogren)/S.F. 2263 (Berglin). Expanded eligibility for the Children's Health Plan and Medical Assistance; authorized the Commissioner of Human Services to develop an implementation plan for the Minnesota Access Health Plan. Action taken: passed by the House and Senate Health and Human Services committees; referred to the appropriations committee of each body.

1989 session:
H.F. 150 (Ogren)/S.F. 491 (Berglin). Established the Health Care Access Commission; required the commission to present a plan for health care access to the legislature by January 1, 1991. Action taken: signed into law as Chapter 327.

1991 session:
H.F. 2 (Ogren)/S.F. 2 (Berglin). Incorporated many of the recommendations of the Health Care Access Commission. Created a bureau of health care access within the Department of Health to administer the Minnesotans' health care plan; authorized initiatives related to insurance reform, rural health, data collection, and health professional education. Action taken: passed by Legislature as Chapter 355; vetoed by Governor.

1992 session:
H.F. 2800 (Ogren)/S.F. 2603 (Berglin). Directed the Commissioner of Health to set limits on the rate of growth of health care spending; established the Minnesota Health Care Commission and required the commission to submit a cost containment plan to the legislature; expanded the Children's Health Plan in stages; imposed a tax on health care providers; authorized initiatives related to insurance reform, rural health, data collection, and health professional education. Referred to as the HealthRight (later MinnesotaCare) Act. Action taken: signed into law as Chapter 549.

1993 session:
H.F. 1178 (Greenfield)/S.F. 900 (Berglin). Modified and expanded the 1992 MinnesotaCare Act. Authorized the establishment of integrated service networks and an all-payer system; set limits on the rate of growth in health care spending; incorporated many of the cost containment recommendations of the Minnesota Health Care Commission. Action taken: signed into law as Chapter 345.

1994 session:
H.F. 2525 (Greenfield)/S.F. 2192 (Berglin). Further modification and expansion of MinnesotaCare. Delayed implementation of the integrated service network and all-payer systems; established community integrated service networks; authorized initiatives related to administrative uniformity and universal coverage. Action taken: signed into law as Chapter 625.

House Research Department
July 15, 1994