Health Finance and Policy

HF 3521 amends Minnesota's hospital construction moratorium to allow specific exceptions for new beds or facility expansions that would otherwise be restricted. It directly affects hospitals in targeted locations, including up to 35 new psychiatric beds in Rice County, 31 new beds in Beltrami County, and 20 new beds in Carver County, among other specified projects. Key provisions include exemptions for facilities meeting criteria like serving over 70% out-of-state patients (Rice County) or consolidating pediatric services without net bed increases. The bill also permits a new 300-bed hospital in Maple Grove if approved by the city council. These exceptions apply only to projects that meet all defined conditions without increasing overall state bed capacity.

This bill requires public cemeteries in Minnesota to allow individuals to be buried according to the rites of their recognized religion, including green burials. It mandates that these burial practices comply with existing state environmental laws and sets a limit of 300 green burial plots per acre over 100 years, with exceptions for religions that require higher density. The legislation also amends current cemetery statutes to formally include green burials as a permitted option for public cemeteries.

This bill establishes a price ceiling for specific prescription drugs in Minnesota that are subject to federal Medicare drug price negotiations. It requires drug manufacturers to stop accepting payments higher than the federal "maximum fair price" for these medications, while also ensuring pharmacies receive at least that amount or the national average cost, whichever is higher. To enforce these rules, the law prohibits manufacturers from removing drugs from the market to evade price limits unless they provide advance notice, and it mandates that health plans and pharmacy benefit managers share detailed financial data with the state's Prescription Drug Affordability Board. The provisions will take effect on January 1, 2027, impacting drug manufacturers, health insurance plans, pharmacy benefit managers, and pharmacies operating in the state.

This bill allows individuals in Minnesota to request changes or additions to the sex indicators on their birth and death records, including options beyond just male or female. For adults and emancipated minors, the state health commissioner must approve these requests if supported by medical documentation, a court order, or a sworn statement of good faith. The legislation also permits parents or guardians to make these changes for minors and requires courts to grant such petitions when there is no intent to defraud. Additionally, the bill mandates that once a birth record is updated, the original document becomes private data that cannot be disclosed without a court order.

This bill creates a program to provide financial payments to nonprofit hospitals in Minnesota that offer charity care to patients who cannot afford their medical bills. The state will collect money from a hospital surcharge and place it in a dedicated account to fund these payments, which are distributed based on the amount of charity care each eligible hospital provides. Nonprofit hospitals licensed in the state are eligible to receive funds, while state-run facilities, VA medical centers, and long-term acute care hospitals are excluded. The commissioner of health will manage the program, calculating payments by adjusting the reported charity care amounts to reflect actual costs before distributing the available funds.