Center for Health Care Affordability
Everyone in Minnesota should be able to afford the health care they need. But health care costs are high and growing faster than what Minnesotans earn. Left unchecked, rising health care costs will put health care out of reach. The Center for Health Care Affordability (the Center) serves as a catalyst to ensuring health care affordability for all Minnesotans.
How we work
The Center is committed to making health care more affordable for all Minnesotans by fostering collaboration, sparking innovation and advancing evidence-based solutions throughout our health care system.
The Minnesota Legislature directed the commissioner of health to establish the Center for Health Care Affordability in 2023 (Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 62J.312). The Center will establish advisory bodies to help shape its research agenda and the initiatives it is pursuing. It will also hold public forums to gather input and feedback on strategies and provide a platform for discussion and collaboration to advance meaningful change.
Focus areas
Research
Making health care affordable starts with understanding what is driving up the cost of health care in Minnesota.
Engage
The public, employers, providers, insurers, and other stakeholders can share their perspectives to inform affordability research and policy priorities.
Recommend
With data-driven policies and solutions, we can get better value for our money and make health care affordable across the state.
What We're Working On
The Center examines health care spending and provides recommendations for making health care affordable for all Minnesotans. Key interests of the Center include:
- Reducing waste and low-value care.
- Eliminating unproductive administrative spending.
- Enhancing the provision of effective, high-value care.
- Considering the sustainability of health care spending growth and the relationship of health care spending growth to health equity.
- Identifying delivery system, payment, and health care market reforms to increase health care affordability and sustainability, including for rural populations in Minnesota.
Join the Health Care Affordability Advisory Task Force
The Center for Health Care Affordability is currently recruiting consumer and patient advocates, employers and health policy experts interested in developing data-informed solutions that address the high and rising cost of health care for Minnesotans. Find out more on the Health Care Affordability Advisory Task Force webpage. The application deadline is Monday, June 2, 2025.
Stay updated!
Sign up for the Center for Health Care Affordability email subscription list. Email health.affordability@state.mn.us to contact program staff.