1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; establishing an office of patient protection; establishing 
1.3 	responsibilities of an office of patient protection; requiring reports;proposing 
1.4 	coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 62J.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [62J.97] OFFICE OF PATIENT PROTECTION.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The Office of Patient Protection is established to:
1.8 	(1) assist consumers with issues related to access and quality of health care; and
1.9 	(2) advise the legislature on ways to reduce consumer health care spending and improve 
1.10 	consumer experiences by reducing complexity for consumers.
1.11 		Subd. 2.Director. The governor shall appoint a director for the office. The director shall 
1.12 	be in the unclassified service and shall serve at the pleasure of the governor. The director 
1.13 	shall direct the office to fulfill its statutory responsibilities.
1.14 		Subd. 3.Organization. The office shall consist of a director of the Office of Patient 
1.15 	Protection as well as any staff necessary to carry out the office's responsibilities under 
1.16 	subdivision 4. The office is a distinct entity, separately identifiable from other state agencies, 
1.17 	and may not be engaged in the provision of health care or health insurance.
1.18 		Subd. 4.Responsibilities. The office shall:
1.19 	(1) establish and implement procedures to assist consumers aggrieved by restrictions on 
1.20 	patient choice, denials of service, and reductions in quality of care resulting from any final 
1.21 	action by a payer or provider;
2.1 	(2) work with private sector and state agency consumer assistance programs to directly 
2.2 	assist consumers with questions or concerns relating to public programs and private insurance 
2.3 	coverage;
2.4 	(3) collect information about health plan company quality of care and patient satisfaction 
2.5 	information, and make information collected by the office reasonably accessible to consumers 
2.6 	on the office's website; and
2.7 	(4) report to the legislature by February 15 of each year on the work of the office in the 
2.8 	previous calendar year and recommend any needed policy changes to improve consumer 
2.9 	experiences by reducing complexity for consumers.