1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; requiring a study and report of
1.3 	health plan coverage for clinical trials.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. CLINICAL TRIAL WORK GROUP; REPORT.
 1.6 	The commissioners of health and commerce shall, in
1.7 	consultation with the commissioner of employee relations,
1.8 	convene a work group regarding health plan coverage of routine
1.9 	care associated with clinical trials.  The work group must move
1.10 	beyond cancer-only clinical trials and consider all other types
1.11 	of disease trials.  The work group shall use the current,
1.12 	cancer-only model voluntary agreement that includes definitions
1.13 	of high-quality clinical trials, protocol induced costs, and
1.14 	routine care costs as a starting point for discussions.  The
1.15 	work group shall establish model voluntary agreement guidelines
1.16 	for health plan coverage of routine patient care costs incurred
1.17 	by patients participating in high quality clinical trials.  The
1.18 	work group shall be made up of representatives of consumers,
1.19 	patient advocates, health plan companies, purchasers, providers,
1.20 	and other health care professionals involved in the care and
1.21 	treatment of patients.  The commissioners shall submit the
1.22 	findings and recommendations of the work group to the chairs of
1.23 	the senate and house committees having jurisdiction over health
1.24 	policy and finance by January 15, 2006.