Department of Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson sent a letter to Rep. Jim Abeler today chastising him for the lack of fiscal notes scrutinizing key provisions of the House's health and human services finance bill. Specifically Jesson took issue with four provisions designed to save $1.2 billion -- roughly 75 percent of the GOP's overall budget reduction target -- that haven't been thoroughly vetted by fiscal staff.

Minnesota currently sends roughly $3 billion each year to the state's health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for more than 500,000 of the state's poorest residents. Critics of the system charge that there is little transparency or accountability in how the dollars are spent. Legislators from both sides of the aisle have introduced proposals to significantly alter the system.

On Feb. 8, health care providers, lobbyists and other interested parties packed a meeting of the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee to overflowing. The occasion was an informational hearing on the seemingly mundane topic of health maintenance organization accountability, and the chief reason for the standing-room-only crowd was the appearance of Dave Feinwachs, the former Minnesota Hospital Association general counsel turned HMO critic.

The roughly $3 billion in public dollars that's funneled to the state's health-maintenance organizations is receiving increased scrutiny this legislative session. That's in large part because of the state's unprecedented $6.2 billion budget.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has cleaned house under new commissioner Lucinda Jesson.

Gov. Mark Dayton has picked Lucinda Jesson to be the next commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Jesson, a Hamline University law professor, will oversee an agency that is likely to be at the epicenter of the battle to close the state's $6.2 billion deficit.

Gov. Mark Dayton has picked Lucinda Jesson to be Minnesota's next commissioner of the Department of Human Services. The Hamline University law professor will oversee an agency that's likely to be the epicenter of the battle to close the state's $6.2 billion deficit.

The Star Tribune reported early this morning that Gov. Mark Dayton will appoint Hamline University professor Lucinda Jesson as the next commissioner of the Department of Human Services.