A new state report is pulling back the curtain on some of the reasons why health care so expensive.
One in four Minnesotans delayed surgery or prescriptions last year due to cost, according to the first legislative report from the Center for Health Care Affordability.
These new figures highlight a troubling trend as Minnesota's uninsured rate climbed to 5.8%.
Center Director Alex Caldwell says they hope to bridge the gap between this emerging problem and lower health care costs for all Minnesotans.
"So, for example, can we see how prices and utilization are driving healthcare spending? Is it that where people are using more care, or is it that the care itself is getting more expensive? And both of those things are true, but as we're seeing in just in this first year, price is a really important factor," Caldwell explains.
She says the team is now preparing to take these findings on the road for in-person regional meetings to hear directly from families about their medical bills.
This marks the first deep dive by the Center for Health Care Affordability since it was founded in 2023.
Caldwell says state data shows roughly 116,000 more people without that insurance safety net, driving costs up across the board.
"We worry that that just means that we're gonna see more uncompensated care, more hospitals having to cover care for people who don't have insurance, and that's just gonna worsen a trend that we also will see via the One Big Beautiful Bill or H.R.1," says Caldwell. "And so, these are sort of interrelated trends."
The "One Big Beautiful Bill" was signed into law in July 2025, and aims to lower federal spending by over $1 trillion. That is resulting in significant Medicaid cuts, tighter work requirements, and reduced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.
While proponents argue it offers more choices, some analysis indicates it will increase out-of-pocket costs for many, leading to higher uninsured rates.
Caldwell says the center's first set of recommendations for the state is set to be released this summer.
