Opinion ID: 1860963
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Patients' Right to Free Choice of Physician

Text: Appellants argue that even if the disclosure of the information sought is not proscribed by statute, such disclosure would impair or defeat the statutory right of medical assistance patients to a free choice of physicians. They contend that, if the information is disclosed, fewer doctors will be willing to participate in the medical assistance program and the patients' right to free choice will thereby be impaired. Even if this is true, however, it does not serve as a ground for injunctive relief. The legislature has provided mechanisms by which the public may be denied access to information controlled by state agencies. It has further determined that public records are to be available to the public except as otherwise expressly provided by law. Minn.St. 15.17, subd. 4. These provisions evidence a legislative intent to retain full control of public access to information. The power to restrict access is given to administrative agencies only in emergency situations, and even that power is subject to legislative action. No power to restrict access is granted to the courts. With such a clear statement of legislative intent, appellants' contention that the court should balance the public's statutory right of access against medical assistance patients' statutory right to a free choice of physicians and the effectiveness of the medical assistance program is unacceptable. The legislature has expressly reserved the power to engage in such balancing to itself, and its failure to deny public access to the information sought here constitutes a legislative determination that the public's right to know outweighs the competing interests of the medical assistance program and its patients.