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Committee approves bill to create Office of Patient Protection for insurance denials, refers it to Commerce
Summary
Senate File 1567 would create an Office of Patient Protection to help Minnesotans navigate insurance denials and collect data on systemic problems. The Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee recommended passage and referred the bill to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.
Senator Port presented Senate File 1567 to the Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee, describing widespread problems with claim denials, opaque appeals, and the difficulty patients face when insurance or pharmacy benefit managers withhold or delay coverage. The committee voted to recommend the bill pass and referred it to the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee.
The bill would establish an Office of Patient Protection to serve as a one-stop resource for Minnesotans seeking help with denied claims, to help patients and providers contest decisions, and to collect data to guide legislative fixes. Senator Port said oversight of complaints is currently scattered among the Department of Commerce, the Department of Health, the Department of Human Services and the attorney general's office.
Testimony and personal stories: Tricia Harms described near-fatal delays her mother experienced because of insurance restrictions and shipping requirements to receive a high-cost medication. "My mom went into ketoacidosis...By sheer luck, an on-call nurse in the ER recognized her from the diabetes clinic and acted immediately," Harms testified, urging legislators to prevent such outcomes. Dr. Bridgette Keller, a physician and parent, recounted long appeals and denials that forced her child out of a treatment program despite recommendations from the psychiatric team.
Senator Port framed the office as a resource to simplify appeals, collect actionable data on denials and administrative barriers, and provide staff assistance to patients who lack the time, language skills or knowledge to navigate complex processes. Witnesses pointed to models in other states, including Connecticut's Office of the Healthcare Advocate, and noted similar proposals elsewhere.
Committee action: Senator Port moved that Senate File 1567 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection. The committee voice vote succeeded and the bill was passed by the committee for referral.
Ending note: The bill now moves to the Commerce committee for further consideration; proponents urged the Legislature to build a statewide, centralized resource to help patients obtain coverage they pay for and to gather data on systemic denial patterns.
