Legislators press for access to all‑payer claims data as LFC cites legal and data barriers
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Committee members raised concerns that the Legislative Finance Committee has not received data from the state's all‑payer claims database (APCD), limiting oversight. LFC staff said statutory tweaks are needed and raised operational limits, including LFC's lack of an in‑house general counsel and the committee's reliance on the executive branch for
Members of the Legislative Health & Human Services committee pressed Legislative Finance Committee staff about the LFC’s access to the state's all‑payer claims database and broader data and legal constraints that complicate oversight.
"The legislative finance committee has been unable to receive any data from that system," Kelly Kluntz told the committee when describing how LFC uses available data to evaluate health programs.
What LFC told lawmakers
- Statutory access: LFC staff said they believe two small statutory changes would allow the committee to receive the APCD data for policy analysis. They told legislators they will work with the committee over the summer to draft specific statutory language.
- Operational and legal friction: Multiple legislators said the Legislature’s ability to obtain executive-branch data has been limited; one committee member noted LFC does not have a permanent general counsel to help litigate or interpret access questions and asked whether LFC could subpoena data (LFC staff said subpoena power is rumored but rarely used and that they prefer collaborative approaches).
Why this matters: LFC and lawmakers said timely and complete claims data are essential to evaluate implementation of large appropriations — for instance, to determine whether capacity-building investments are translating into Medicaid billings, reductions in emergency-department use or improved service access.
Committee direction and follow-up
- LFC committed to work with committee staff and members this summer on statutory language to allow secure access to APCD data for legislative oversight and to provide examples of the specific data elements the committee would need.
- Several members urged use of stronger legislative remedies if agencies continue to withhold data; LFC staff said they prefer to work collaboratively but will provide drafts of statutory changes to the committee for the interim.
Ending
Lawmakers left the briefing focused on two related priorities: securing statutory authority to access claims-level data for oversight and strengthening the LFC’s data and legal capacity so the Legislature can assess whether this session’s investments are producing measurable results.