"Federal health care reform legislation" means the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148, and the health care reform provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, Public Law 111-152.
The 2010 Minnesota Legislature directed the Departments of Health, Human Services, and Commerce to convene a health care reform task force to advise and assist the Governor and the Legislature regarding state implementation of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The task force consists of legislators from the Minnesota House of Representatives and Minnesota Senate, State Agencies, and members appointed by the Governor representing health care organizations, health plan companies, health care trade and professional associations, employers and group purchasers, labor organizations, and health care market experts with expertise in financmg, access, and quality. A report was produced on December, 2010, see link below.
On October 31, 2011 Governor Mark Dayton issued an executive order establishing two separate health care task forces, one to work on broad health care reform initiatives (the Health Care Reform Task Force) and another to develop the state's health insurance exchange (the Health Insurance Exchange Advisory Task Force).
Governor Dayton's Executive Order 11-30 references the 2010 Special Session legislation creating the Health Care Reform Task Force and stating the following vision for the task force:
a. Better health care: Expand health coverage and provide a better consumer experience through effective and positive community engagement on issues related to health care, public health and insurance.
b. Lower costs: Reduce unsustainable growth in per capita health costs while improving health care quality and efficiency; and
c. Healthier communities: Improve the health of all Minnesotans and decrease health disparities.
The task force held 65 public meetings between November 2011 and December 2012, including meetings in Rochester, Duluth, St. Cloud, St. Paul, and Minneapolis.