Legislation by Sen. Carla Nelson (R-Rochester) to increase access to clinical trials for Minnesotans using Medical Assistance (MA) was included in a compromise health and human services policy bill that passed at the end of the 2020 session.

Sen. Nelson’s bill will ensure Minnesotans using MA will receive coverage for routine care costs when they are enrolled in approved clinical trial research studies. Routine care costs are for treatments a patient receives regardless of whether or not they are enrolled in a clinical trial.

Medicaid patients and patients with private insurance already have access to clinical trials. MA is currently the only major payer that is not required to cover routine costs for clinical trials.

“Clinical trials have the potential to be life-saving or provide life-improving treatments,” said Sen. Nelson. “One in five Minnesotans use Medical Assistance; those patients should have the same access to clinical trials as Medicare patients and everybody else. Not only will this legislation give patients what could be their only access to a treatment or cure, it will help Minnesota continue to lead the nation in medical innovations and research.”

The Legislature’s bipartisan health care policy bill that included Sen. Nelson’s clinical trials bill passed the Senate by a unanimous vote of 67-0. It passed the House by a vote of 106-26.

Sen. Nelson’s clinical trials bill has widespread support from the medical community, including the Mayo Clinic, Sanford Health, Gillette Children’s Hospital, American Cancer Action Network, Society of Clinical Oncology, Be the Match National Marrow Donor Program, Minnesota Medical Association, Medical Alley, and more.