Minnesota Legislators Enact Government Cookbook of Medicine

Minnesota legislators have authorized the Minnesota Department of Health to work with an HMO-funded group (Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement) to decide what medical practices your doctor should follow, to track your doctor's adherence to the state list of treatments, and to allow your doctor to be penalized and paid less for failing to comply.

On May 16, 2004, the Minnesota legislature passed the so-called "best practices" proposal as part of a bigger bill. On May 29, despite hundreds of citizen petitions in opposition, Governor Pawlenty signed the bill into law. On June 23, the new Governor's Health Cabinet presented state-issued "best practices" report cards as a key strategy for health care reform.

The 2005 state legislature added the position of Medical Director to the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), and required the Department to begin publishing report cards on the "performance" of health care providers in regard to the use of "evidence-based medicine." The legislature authorized DHS officials to access private medical data on all citizens, privately insured and publicly subsidized, to assess the "performance" of all providers in the state of Minnesota. This law is tied to the 2004 law.

ALERT: The 2006 Legislature must decide whether to terminate or make permanent the 2004 "best practices" law, and the health department's authority to direct the practice of medicine. Contact information for your legislators.

Citizen Petition - "EBM" and "Best Practices" Laws

The 2005 "Evidence-Based Medicine" Law

The 2004 Minnesota "Best Practices" Law
The Minnesota Data Collection Law - 62J
New Governor's Health Cabinet in Minnesota focuses on "best practices"