1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; requiring the commissioner of health to conduct a health 
1.3 	information exchange study; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE STUDY.
 1.6 	(a) The commissioner of health shall conduct a study of health information 
1.7 	exchange in Minnesota and make recommendations on the appropriate structure, legal 
1.8 	and regulatory framework, financing, and governance for health information exchange 
1.9 	in Minnesota to improve patient data sharing in order to enhance and improve health 
1.10 	care, care coordination, and population health management. The study shall include, but 
1.11 	not be limited to, the following questions:
1.12 	(1) whether Minnesota should continue to use a market-based approach to health 
1.13 	information exchange, develop a single statewide health information exchange entity, or 
1.14 	implement a different structure;
1.15 	(2) to what extent additional shared health information exchange services such 
1.16 	as consent management should be implemented, how such shared services should be 
1.17 	operationalized, and which shared services should be prioritized to best move Minnesota 
1.18 	toward statewide health information exchange goals;
1.19 	(3) potential funding sources and appropriate level of funding needed to support core 
1.20 	health information exchange transactions and shared services for health care providers 
1.21 	statewide; and
1.22 	(4) to what extent Minnesota's current legal and regulatory framework for health 
1.23 	information exchange either supports or hinders secure health information exchange that 
1.24 	aligns with patient preferences.
2.1 	(b) The commissioner shall consult the advisory committee established under 
2.2 	Minnesota Statutes, section 62J.495, subdivision 2, and with other interested stakeholders, 
2.3 	including health care providers and patients, to advise and assist the commissioner in the 
2.4 	study and to develop recommendations for improvements to health care, care coordination, 
2.5 	and population health management through health information exchange in Minnesota.
2.6 	(c) The commissioner shall submit preliminary findings from the study to the chairs 
2.7 	and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health 
2.8 	and data privacy by June 30, 2017, and submit the final report and recommendations by 
2.9 	January 30, 2018.

2.10 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.11 	$....... in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated to the commissioner of health from 
2.12 	the general fund to conduct a health information exchange study. This is a onetime 
2.13 	appropriation and is available until June 30, 2018.