FTC Staff Urges Minnesota to Reconsider Disclosing Health Care Services Contracts

A Federal Trade Commission staff comment, released on July 2, urged the Minnesota legislature to weigh the benefits and costs carefully of certain amendments requiring the disclosure of confidential terms in health care services contracts.

Two Minnesota legislators—Joe Hoppe and Melissa Hortman—sought FTC input on recently enacted, but not yet fully implemented, amendments to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA), which would classify health plan provider contracts as public data. As such, the law could make contract terms for Minnesota’s health plans subject to public disclosure via a freedom of information request. The legislature delayed the application of ...