Minnesota Administrative Uniformity Committee

Overview

The AUC is a long-standing voluntary consortium of health care payers, providers, and related groups working collaboratively to standardize, simplify, and automate exchanges of health care business (“administrative”) data to reduce administrative burdens and costs.

The AUC is not statutorily authorized, is not government funded, and is not organized as any legal entity. However, Minnesota Statutes, section 62J.536 requires the MDH Commissioner to consult with the AUC in the development of rules known as Minnesota Uniform Companion Guides for the standard, electronic exchange of health care administrative data. MDH provides the AUC with staff facilitation, coordination, and other assistance (e.g., maintenance of an AUC-related website, virtual meeting capabilities, etc.) to support the required consultation process. In addition, the AUC has produced a variety of best practices, educational material, and other resources to increase administrative efficiency.

Membership

AUC membership is open to health care payers and providers as well as relevant related or representative associations (e.g. Minnesota Medical Association, Minnesota Hospital Association) and government organizations (e.g., state agencies with health care delivery, payment, and oversight responsibilities such as the Minnesota Departments of Health, Human Services, and Commerce).

Members must also meet established criteria, including designating primary and alternate representatives to participate in AUC planning, priority setting, and discussions and adoption of common solutions to reduce health care administrative costs and burdens. The primary and alternate representatives of AUC member organizations are known collectively as the Operations Committee. The Committee elects a chair and co-chair to provide additional coordination, direction, and governance. Decision making is generally by informal consensus although voting mechanisms are in place to respond to specific issues or questions.

Structure

In addition to the Operations Committee which functions as a committee of the whole, the AUC has also historically maintained additional standing and ad hoc work groups known as Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) that are open to interested parties and subject matter experts to help review and address needs for administrative simplification.

The AUC’s mission is to develop agreement among group purchasers and providers on standardized administrative processes when implementation of the processes will reduce administrative costs.

Note:  Most AUC activities were suspended during the COVID pandemic. No AUC meetings or activities are planned at this time.

Mission Statement, History and Governing Principles (PDF)

The mission of the AUC is to develop agreement among Minnesota health care payers and providers regarding standardized administrative processes, which will reduce administrative costs, and thereby increase the efficiency of health care delivery (Minnesota Statutes, sections. 62J.50 to 62J.61). The AUC Strategic Steering Committee, Operations Committee, Executive Committee, all Technical Advisory Groups, and Work Groups will comply with all applicable antitrust laws during the course of their activities.

The AUC wishes to prevent any situation from which even the appearance of collusion or anti-competitive activity, can be fairly inferred. Therefore, all AUC members are reminded that any action taken to eliminate, restrict, or govern competition among members may be a violation of antitrust laws. Accordingly, at AUC meetings discussion of prices of products, supplies or services is prohibited. Similarly, there must be no discussion of member company or organization operations that might influence pricing, such as, allowances, discounts, terms of sale, margins, operations costs or marketing strategies, that might lead to agreements on customer, geographic or product market allocations; or that might be seen as encouraging a boycott of any person.

Each AUC member is expected to conduct business independently and free from any understandings or agreements or other conduct which may restrain competition. Further, each participant is obligated to speak up immediately to stop any discussion falling outside these bounds.

If you have any questions or antitrust concerns related to the AUC, consult with your legal counsel.

• Aetna
• Aging Services of Minnesota
• Allina Hospitals and Clinics
• American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota
• Care Providers of Minnesota
• CentraCare Health
• Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
• CVS Pharmacy
• Delta Dental Plan of Minnesota
• Essentia Health
• Fairview Health Services
• Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital
• Healthcare Leaders Association Minnesota (HLAMN)
• HealthEast
• HealthEZ
• HealthPartners
• Hennepin County Medical Center
• Mayo Clinic
• Medica
• Metropolitan Health Plan
• Minnesota Chiropractic Association
• Minnesota Council of Health Plans
• Minnesota Dental Association
• Minnesota Department of Health
• Minnesota Department of Human Services
• Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
• Minnesota HomeCare Association
• Minnesota Hospital Association
• Minnesota Medical Association
• Minnesota Pharmacist Association
• Olmsted Medical Center
• Park Nicollet Health Services
• PrairieCare
• PrimeWest Health
• Ridgeview Medical Center
• Sanford Health
• Sanford Health Plan
• Silverscript
• South Country Health Alliance
• St. Luke's
• UCare Minnesota
• UnitedHealth Group
• University of Minnesota Physicians
• WPS Health Insurance Corporation