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2025 Minnesota Snapshot
The Healthcare Affordability Snapshot provides legislators, consumer advocates, regulators and other stakeholders a tool to compare their state’s health policies across other states. The categories examined in this resource explore a variety of policy options that have previously appeared in the Scorecard, as well as additional policies that impact health care affordability. Policies were selected […]
Read MoreMinnesota Banned Noncompete Clauses, State Physicians are Still Signing Them
A Wisconsin-based health system is forcing doctors in Minnesota to sign a heavily amended contract or resign, reports the Minnesota Reformer. Despite Minnesota’s 2023 law banning most new non-compete agreements, the new contracts retain older provisions or present the renewal as “new” agreements, raising legal questions. In terms of affordability and access to care, physicians warn that […]
Read MoreMinnesotans’ Health Care Costs Rose as Usage Dropped From 2019 To 2023
A recent report shows that in Minnesota per-person health care spending among commercially insured residents under age 65 rose from about $6,224 in 2019 to $7,154 in 2023, an increase of roughly 15 percent, reports the Minnesota Reformer. Simultaneously, total usage of health care services fell during that period, meaning that spending went up even as people […]
Read MoreReport: When Hospitals Buy Physician Practices, Prices Go Up
Hospital acquisitions of physician practices are driving up prices for childbirth and other services, reports the Minnesota Reformer. The study cited in the article found that the share of physicians in the United States working for hospitals has nearly doubled, reducing independent practices and limiting competition. Advocates argue consolidation inflates costs and undermines affordability for patients. Experts suggest stronger antitrust […]
Read MoreStudy: Rural Hospital Closures Raise Costs
A University of Minnesota study found rural hospital closures raise costs for patients at nearby facilities, reports KARE 11. The study reports that commercial inpatient prices increased by 3.6% per stay, about $500 per admission, following a closure. Researchers say the trend reduces competition and adds financial strain on families. Advocates warn that affordability challenges will worsen […]
Read MoreMinnesota Is Among the States Where People Spend the Least on Health Insurance
Minnesota residents devote a smaller share of their income to health insurance than nearly any other state, reports KMSP Fox 9. Minnesota ranks 47th, with residents only spending 4.87% of their income on health insurance. Nationally, premiums rose 6–7% in 2024 for both individual and family plans, but Minnesota’s competitive markets and subsidies helped keep costs lower. […]
Read MoreCourt Rolls Back Minnesota’s Drug Price-Gouging Law
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Minnesota’s drug price-gouging law, reports the O’Neill Institute at Georgetown Law. On June 12, the court ruled the law improperly regulated out-of-state manufacturers, barring Minnesota from applying its protections broadly. Advocates say the decision weakens the state’s ability to address excessive pricing. Observers note the ruling highlights the difficulty […]
Read MoreLegislature Repeals MinnesotaCare for Undocumented Adults
Minnesota lawmakers have voted to end MinnesotaCare eligibility for undocumented adults, reports the Minnesota Reformer. MinnesotaCare, a state-funded health insurance program established in 1992, was expanded in 2023 to include undocumented immigrants after the Minnesota Legislature passed the measure. This expanded coverage launched in January 2025. That coverage will now be rolled back, although undocumented […]
Read MoreMinnesota Groups Plan to Establish Indigenous Birth Center
Community organizations in Minnesota are collaborating to open an Indigenous birth center aimed at providing culturally appropriate maternal care and addressing disparities in birth outcomes, reports The Imprint. A group of nonprofit child welfare and maternal health organizations expects to submit their proposed plan to Minnesota lawmakers by the end of this calendar year. While the […]
Read MoreData Brief: Medicaid Expansion Increases Access to Care in NE Minnesota
Recently released data on Medicaid expansion shows that the program has led to improvements in access to care in northeastern Minnesota, reports the Grand Rapids Herald Review. According to state data, Medicaid is the largest single source of health insurance in Minnesota – covering approximately a quarter of northeastern Minnesota residents and nearly 1.3 million across […]
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