STATE OF MINNESOTA THIRTY- SECOND MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
HEALTH FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Representative Robert Bierman, Chair of the Health Finance and Policy Committee, called the meeting to order at 1:02 P.M. on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Room 120 of the State Capitol Building.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members Present:
BIERMAN, Robert (DFL Chair)
BACKER, Jeff (GOP Chair)
REYER, Liz (DFL Vice Chair)
NADEAU, Danny (GOP Vice Chair)
BAHNER, Kristin
CARROLL, Ned
ELKINS, Steve
LEE, Xp
HUOT, John
KNUDSEN, Krista
LIEBLING, Tina
MAHAMOUD, Anquam
PERRYMAN, Bernie
REPINSKI, Aaron
PURSELL, Kristi
SCHOMACKER, Joe
VAN BINSBERGEN, Scott
ZELEZNIKAR, Natalie
Members Excused:
FRANSON, Mary
GILLMAN, Dawn
DIPPEL, Tom
KEELER, Heather
A quorum was present.
Representative Elkins moved to approve the minutes of April 15, 2026. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Presentation on Hennepin County Medical Center Finances.
Testifiers:
• Jodi Wentland, County Administrator, Hennepin County
• Abdirahman Abdi, Chief Financial Officer, Hennepin Healthcare System
• Joe Matthews, Chief Financial Officer, Hennepin County
• Jan Malcolm, Senior Advisor on Hospitals and Health Systems, Governors’ Health Subcabinet
Presentation on the Shutdown of UCare and outstanding debts.
Testifiers:
• Julia Dreier, Deputy Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Commerce
• Carol Backstrom, Assistant Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Health
• Dan Endreson, Senior Director of Policy and Government Affairs, Minnesota Councill of Health Plans
Discussion of Legislative Solutions.
HF4841 (Agbaje); Hennepin County local sales tax authority modified, and grants provided to county health care facilities and to ballpark authority for improvements.
Representative Agbaje presented HF4841 on an informational basis.
HF4892 (Huot); Uncompensated care relief programs established, rulemaking authorized, and money appropriated.
Representative Huot presented HF4892 on an informational basis.
Bills not introduced at the time of the meeting are indicated by the House Research or Revisor code.
Representative Nadeau presented EK126-1, a bill for an act relating to health care; establishing a medical assistance underpayments pool, modifying the governance of Hennepin Healthcare and the authority and membership of the corporate board; requiring Hennepin Healthcare to make certain information available to the public; authorizing grants to certain hospitals; appropriating money.
Representative Nadeau presented EK126-1 on an informational basis.
Testifier on EK126-1:
• Stefan Gildemeister, Minnesota Department of Health.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:59 P.M.
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Representative Robert Bierman, DFL Chair
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Representative Jeff Backer, GOP Chair
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Representative Liz Reyer, DFL Vice Chair
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Representative Danny Nadeau, GOP Vice Chair
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Representative Kristin Bahner
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Representative Ned Carroll
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Representative Tom Dippel
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Representative Steve Elkins
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Representative Mary Franson
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Representative Dawn Gillman
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Representative John Huot
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Representative Heather Keeler
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Representative Krista Knudsen
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Representative Xp Lee
_______________________________________ Representative Tina Liebling
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Representative Anquam Mahamoud
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Representative Bernie Perryman
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Representative Kristi Pursell
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Representative Aaron Repinski
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Representative Joe Schomacker
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Representative Scott Van Binsbergen
_________________________________________Representative Natalie Zeleznikar
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Saynab Jama, Committee Legislative Assistant