Legislative Priorities

MNASCA actively champions the interests of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) in Minnesota through strategic engagement with state legislators, regulatory bodies, and executive agencies. We identify and scrutinize key issues impacting ASCs, taking decisive action to safeguard and enhance their capacity to deliver superior, cost-effective patient care.

2026 Key Issues

The 2026 Minnesota Legislative Session adjourned on May 18, making it a short, non-budget session focused largely on policy initiatives, oversight, and targeted supplemental measures. Minnesota's uniquely competitive political landscape remains as the Minnesota House is evenly divided at 67–67, while the Senate holds a narrow one-seat Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) majority.  Complicating the environment further, 2026 is a statewide election year - all 201 legislative seats and Minnesota’s constitutional offices will be on the ballot - shaping priorities, timelines, and the overall tone of policymaking during the session.  

MNASCA monitored, analyzed, and engaged in several important legislative and regulatory priorities during the 2026 session, including proposals related to healthcare workforce flexibility, payer and reimbursement issues, prior authorization, provider credentialing, infectious waste oversight, healthcare data privacy, advanced practice provider requirements, Medicare and outpatient access initiatives, and other operational issues impacting ambulatory surgery centers. Throughout the session, MNASCA tracked the status of key proposals, communicated legislative developments to members, coordinated advocacy efforts where appropriate, and monitored which measures ultimately advanced, failed to pass, or remained under consideration at adjournment.  Some key issues that passed include:  

Infectious Waste Transport and Compliance Requirements 
Focused on strengthening oversight of infectious waste management, the legislation directed additional study and review of unlawfully transported infectious or pathological waste, including generator practices, inspection considerations, and potential future enforcement mechanisms. The proposal reflects growing concern around proper handling and accountability within the waste stream. For ASCs, the issue presents potential operational and administrative considerations, including possible future reporting obligations, regulatory scrutiny, and compliance-related impacts.

Athletic Trainer Scope of Practice Clarification
This legislation clarifies the scope of practice for athletic trainers in Minnesota, providing greater definition around the services they are authorized to perform and the settings in which they may practice. The proposal is intended to support more effective utilization of athletic trainers within the broader health care workforce and enhance coordination of care. For ASCs, while the impact may be more indirect, clarifying roles across the care continuum can contribute to improved patient transitions, rehabilitation outcomes, and team-based care delivery.

Physical Therapy Scope of Practice
This proposal updates and clarifies the scope of practice for physical therapists in Minnesota, including permitted evaluation and treatment activities, care coordination, and modernized practice standards. The legislation is intended to improve patient access to rehabilitation services and align state law with current clinical practices.

Health Care Provider Wellness Program Protections
Authored by Representative Liz Reyer and others, with companion SF 4583 in the Senate, expands Minnesota’s existing physician wellness program to include a broader range of health care providers. The bill renames the program to reflect this expanded scope and extends existing confidentiality protections to all participating providers, ensuring that records related to participation remain protected from discovery, subpoena, or reporting except in limited circumstances.

HCMC Funding 
The financially distressed Hennepin County Medical Center will receive $205 million in direct stabilization funding and create a reserve account of up to $500 million that HCMC, and possibly other hospitals contending with financial burden due to uncompensated care, can draw from until 2031.

APRN Collaborative Practice Requirements
Removed postgraduate collaborative practice requirements for advanced practice registered nurses.  The proposal was intended to provide APRNs with greater practice autonomy and reduce administrative barriers associated with physician collaboration agreements.

Prohibition on AI Use in Prior Authorization Reviews
This proposal prohibits health plans from using artificial intelligence alone to deny, delay, or modify prior authorization requests, requiring that medical necessity determinations include review by a qualified human clinician. The legislation is intended to increase transparency, accountability, and patient protections in utilization review decisions.

For a full summary of all healthcare related issues, please review the 2026 Healthcare End of Session Summary.  

Key 2027 Legislative Session Dates: 

• Tuesday, January 12 at Noon - Legislative Session begins