Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine meeting minutes

Date: Sept. 28, 2026

Attendees

Support staff

Calla Oftedahl, Anna Yesberger, Frances Van Houten, Katie Pratt and Elian Sorensen

Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine members

Rev. Katrin Bachmeier, Tricia Brisbine, David Dively, Kris Erickson, Linda Fairchild, Lisa Harrison-Hadler, Dr. Katrina Jirik, Jenna Johnson, Julie Johnson, Meredith McKinnon, Jenn Purrington, Mor Vue and Chad Wilson

Meeting objectives

· Receive updates from the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) on Waiver Reimagine (WR).

· Follow up on questions from the Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine August meeting.

· Review the process for developing the legislative report and the recommendations that will go in it.

· Agree on recommendations to advance or on a process for developing the legislative report while some information remains forthcoming.

Agenda

Welcome

· The regular September meeting of the task force was held virtually via Cisco Webex. Frances Van Houten, the meeting facilitator, shared a general overview of the meeting agenda and attendee expectations.

Key questions for task force work moving forward

· Fran acknowledged that many questions raised by task force members have gone unanswered. She asked the task force to consider how they would like to proceed with preparing the legislative report while continuing to wait for answers to key questions.

DHS noted that many questions remain unanswered because WR is still in development.

· Task force members discussed producing a report that includes recommendations where possible but also highlights areas where they feel unable to make recommendations due to insufficient information.

Process for developing the legislative report and included recommendations

· The task force discussed the timeline and process for creating the legislative report.

· The final report is due to the Legislature by Jan. 15, 2027.

Discussion of recommendations to advance

· The task force continued discussing recommendations for its legislatively required recommendations report.

· The recommendations discussed arose from conversations in task force work-group meetings.

DHS updates

· No go-live date has been established for WR.

· No CMS submission date has been decided upon.

· Waiver participants must have at least 12 months’ notice before their budgets change.

· The WR go-live date, once determined, will take into account this required notice period.