Office of patient protection established, responsibilities of office established, and reports required.

This bill establishes the Office of Patient Protection to assist Minnesota healthcare consumers. The office will help individuals with concerns such as restricted patient choice, denials of service, and reductions in quality of care by healthcare payers or providers, and will also collaborate with existing consumer assistance programs. It is responsible for collecting and publicly sharing information on health plan quality and patient satisfaction. Additionally, the office will advise the legislature annually on strategies to reduce consumer healthcare spending and simplify the healthcare experience, while reporting on its activities and recommending policy changes.