The legislative bill S.F. No. 1288 aims to establish "direct primary care service agreements" in Minnesota. These agreements are between primary care providers and patients, where patients pay a regular fee to the providers for direct access to primary care services. Importantly, these agreements are not considered insurance, are not regulated as insurance, and providers do not need an insurance license to offer or sell these agreements.

The bill amends current Minnesota statutes by specifying: 1. Health care providers can market, sell, and offer direct primary care services without obtaining insurance-specific licenses. 2. Definitions and specific guidelines are provided for what constitutes a direct primary care service agreement, including payment structures, service expectations, and agreement durations. 3. Acknowledgement that these agreements do not qualify as insurance under health laws, and costs associated with these services are not applicable towards health insurance deductibles. 4. A clear outline for acceptable practices, like the process for terminating agreements, payment handling, and correct advertisement practices regarding the direct primary care service.

This legislation seeks to formalize and regulate a healthcare model where patients directly pay their healthcare providers, fostering an alternative to traditional health insurance-based approaches and aiming to simplify access to primary care services.