2005 Minnesota Statutes - 144.70 — Biennial report.

     144.70 Biennial report. 


    Subdivision 1.    Content.  The commissioner of health 
 shall prepare a report every two years concerning the status and 
 operations of the health care markets in Minnesota.  The 
 commissioner of health shall transmit the reports to the 
 governor, and to the members of the legislature under section 
 3.195.  The first report must be submitted on January 15, 1987, 
 and succeeding reports on January 15 every two years.  Each 
 report must contain information, analysis, and appropriate 
 recommendations concerning the following issues associated with 
 Minnesota health care markets:  


    (1) the overall status of the health care cost problem, 
 including the costs faced by employers and individuals, and 
 prospects for the problem's improving or getting worse; 


    (2) the status of competitive forces in the market for 
 health services and the market for health plans, and the effect 
 of the forces on the health care cost problem; 


    (3) the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of facilitating 
 development of strengthened competitive forces through state 
 initiatives; 


    (4) the feasibility of limiting health care costs by means 
 other than competitive forces, including direct forms of 
 government intervention such as price regulation; the 
 commissioner of health may exclude this issue from the report if 
 the report concludes that the overall status of the health care 
 cost problem is improving, or that competitive forces are 
 contributing significantly to health care cost containment; 


    (5) the overall status of access to adequate health 
 services by citizens of Minnesota, the scope of financial and 
 geographic barriers to access, the effect of competitive forces 
 on access, and prospects for access improving or getting worse; 


    (6) the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of enhancing 
 access to adequate health services by citizens of Minnesota 
 through state initiatives; and 


    (7) the commissioner of health's operations and activities 
 for the preceding two years as they relate to the duties imposed 
 on the commissioner of health by sections 144.695 to 144.703.  


    Subd. 2.    Interagency cooperation.  In completing the 
 report required by subdivision 1, in fulfilling the requirements 
 of sections 144.695 to 144.703, and in undertaking other 
 initiatives concerning health care costs, access, or quality, 
 the commissioner of health shall cooperate with and consider 
 potential benefits to other state agencies that have a role in 
 the market for health services or the market for health plans.  
 Other agencies include the Department of Employee Relations, as 
 administrator of the state employee health benefits program; the 
 Department of Human Services, as administrator of health 
 services entitlement programs; the Department of Commerce, in 
 its regulation of health plans; the Department of Labor and 
 Industry, in its regulation of health service costs under 
 workers' compensation.  


    HIST: 1976 c 296 art 2 s 6; 1977 c 305 s 45; 1Sp1985 c 9 art 2 
 s 11; 1991 c 345 art 2 s 37; 1994 c 411 s 2