New Report Unveils Trends in Minnesota Health Care: Quality, Disparities, and Costs

February 28, 2025

MN Community Measurement (MNCM) has released its latest report,  Health Care in Minnesota: Summary Report on Quality, Disparities, and Cost , providing a comprehensive analysis of the state’s health care performance in 2023. The report highlights trends in health care quality, disparities, and costs, offering valuable and actionable insights for community partners including medical groups, payers, policy makers, public health agencies, researchers, and community-based organizations.

This report complements MNCM’s recently launched  Performance Hub , which provides statewide analyses of health care quality and cost measures through an interactive platform. Data on cost and quality outcomes by specific medical groups and clinics is available on  MNHealthScores , which allows consumers to compare and make informed choices when accessing care. 

The new results come from data reported to MNCM in 2024, covering services received by patients in 2023. The report includes measures across preventive health, chronic conditions, mental health for adults and children/adolescents, total cost of care, and utilization. 

Report highlights include:

• Colorectal cancer screening rates for the newly eligible 45–49 age group have improved. While the 2023 rate for all age groups has significantly increased compared to 2022, it remains significantly lower than 2021.
• Childhood immunization continues to show a decrease in statewide rate from year to year. This measure has not shown improvement in rates following the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Significant gaps remain in asthma control and depression care, with thousands of patients needing improved care to meet statewide benchmarks.
• There were modest improvements in breast cancer screening, controlling high blood pressure, and diabetes eye exams.

• Black, Indigenous, and Hispanic/Latinx patients experienced the most disparities across multiple measures, particularly in Colorectal Cancer Screening.
• Patients speaking Hmong, Karen, Somali, and Spanish, as well as those from Laos, Mexico, and Somalia, had lower rates of preventive care and chronic disease management compared to statewide averages.

• The total cost of care increased by 8.4% in 2023, primarily driven by a 15.3% rise in pharmacy costs and higher outpatient hospital service utilization.
• All categories of medical services saw increased use, except for inpatient admissions. Women aged 36–64 had the highest number of claims, while men aged 18–35 had the lowest number of claims.

This year marks a shift from focusing solely on the performance of the health care system to a broader view of how Minnesotans are collectively doing in achieving the best outcomes. By examining quality, disparities, and cost together in a single, comprehensive report, we gain a more holistic view of health care performance, and a deeper understanding of where we can make the most impact. 

The report not only consolidates key metrics but also incorporates community perspectives with valuable insights for community partners on how they can leverage the data to enhance their work and drive improvements in health care outcomes. 

“By broadening our focus to include both outcomes and equity alongside cost, this report takes an important step toward transforming how we understand health care in Minnesota. It’s no longer just about what the system does, but about how the collective efforts across communities contribute to the well-being of all,” noted Liz Cinqueonce, President and CEO of MN Community Measurement. “Our goal is to create a clearer pathway for everyone — health plans, providers, employers, policy makers, government agencies, and community organizations — to work together toward reducing disparities and improving care and value for everyone.”

Measuring and reporting on health care quality and cost helps consumers understand how care varies across providers, allows providers to identify improvement opportunities and how their measures compare to others, and helps health plans and other purchasers better understand and improve value for money that is spent on health care.

Posted in Press Release