'Poison pill' bill passed by Minnesota House could doom Fairview-Sanford Health merger

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A poison pill bill passed in the Minnesota House late Monday afternoon could give the state attorney general the power to kill the massive healthcare merger between Fairview and Sanford Health.

Monday afternoon, representatives approved a healthcare merger bill with three main pieces.

It won't allow transactions that substantially reduce competition, which Attorney General Keith Ellison is already investigating in the case of Fairview and Sanford. The bill also forces out-of-state health systems to pay back any charitable assets received from the state. In other words, any tax breaks the system received from the state would have to be repaid.

Several Republicans spoke up against the bill blocking the merger.

"It doesn’t take into account if the merger doesn’t happen, and you’ve got an entity that’s bleeding millions and millions and millions and millions," said Rep. Duane Quam (R-Byron).

The bill also makes it harder for an out-of-state company to control the University of Minnesota Medical Center. The Senate hasn't voted yet on its version of the bill.